Professor Armstrong's website provides a good introduction to the Lemnaceae family. The site's highlight is an excellent series of indexed closeup images of North American Lemnaceae. There is also a good introductory technical brief on the duckweeds. Professor Armstrong's enthusiasm for duckweed is palpable. This site is highly recommended!
Professor Armstrong provides a whimsical description of his first encounter with the "elusive" Wolffia. The Wayne's Word series marvels at the wonders of nature, and its treatment of Wolffia is consistent with that theme. There are two excellent pictures featuring W. columbiana and W. borealis. This site is highly recommended.
Aquatic plant particulars and photographs series providing brief descriptions with photographs of Lemna valdiviana and Spirodela polyrrhiza. The L. valdiviana photograph lacks clarity, but the closeup shot of S. polyrrhiza in natural conditions is excellent.
Jef Poskanzer, amateur photographer, shares a vision of duckweed in Yosemite. Judging by the color, we prescribe a new lens for Jef, or some nitrogen for the duckweed. Failing that . . . some grass carp to get rid of that mess.
Information Navigation, Inc. Hypermedia Products of Durham, NC (presumably a Duke University spinoff) shows the Lemnaceae family in a "Monocot" perspective.
The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut Classification of the Lemnaceae Family: This site also provides indirect access to the searchable databases of the Agricultural Genome Information Server (USDA), the US Plants Database (USDA) and the National Herbarium (USDA). Highly recommended!
C.A. Brearley and D.E. Hanke undertake an analysis of the inositol phosphates of Spirodela polyrhiza at a developmental stage when massive accumulation of InsP6 indicates that a large net synthesis is
occurring.
Craig A. Harper and Eric G. Bolen of UNC Wilmington, report that duckweed communities offer an important habitat for macroinvertebrates, which in turn are a source of animal protein for wetland birds (e.g., breeding wood ducks).
Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad and the Missouri Botanical Gardens provide a listing of Lemna, Spirodela and Wolffiella species (by speciman) holdings.
Eugenia Olguín, Elizabeth Hernández, Patricia Coutiño and Rosalía González provide a brief spanish language review of wastewater treatment using aquatic plants.
Anne E. Platt of The Worldwatch Institute provides answers to questions concerning the Lemnaceae family in the context of the Louisville University Sciboard News Service.
R. Wolverton and R. McCaleb recommend use of duckweed or pennywort to bridge the winter gap for wastewater treatment. Efficiency is compared to water hyacinth systems.
Koles, S.M., Petrell, R.J., and Bagnall, L.O. (1987) evaluate a duckweed culture system for efficiency in removal of ammonium and phosphorous, reduction of TSS and biomass production.
Whitehead, A.J., Lo, K.V. and Bulley, N.R. (1987) report on the results of laboratory experiments to study the effect of duckweed harvesting intensity and hydraulic retention time on nutrient removal from simulated dairy barn wastewater.
Macalester University (faculty?) report an environmental disaster in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City, but give the city some credit for a taking environmentally friendly steps, such as a wastewater treatment system which makes use of duckweed in a wetlands context for partial treatment.
Professor S. Chen of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; School of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, LSU Baton Rouge compares the results of tertiary treatment of dairy waste by duckweed and water hyacinth systems. Hyacinth does a bit better. We recommend Professor Chen review his duckweed aquaculture paradigm. Maintained with no open spaces and harvested regularly, duckweed should outperform hyacinth.
R.A. Leng, J.H. Stambolie and R. Bell of the Centre for Duckweed Research & Development (University of New England Armidale, NSW 2351 AUSTRALIA) provide a good survey article of duckweed and its known applications - as an agent for wastewater treatment and as a feed ingredient for fish, poultry and livestock.
Michael Gibbs, in a letter to the Agriculture & Environment Mailing List forwards a note from Professor Ron Leng of the University of New England describing innovative duckweed aquaculture applications in Vietnam.
Dr. Martin W. Brunson reports that grass carp prefer duckeed, but will eat just about anything green. He also reports that they should taste good to intrepid residents of Mississippi. We concur and can suggest numerous Bangladeshis, Chinese and Thais who will testify to that fact.
University of Nebraska (Lincoln) brief home truths about duckweed. Another perspective, but hopefully more positive in the future as everyone learns how wonderful duckweed is.
The dark side of duckweed exposed! Duckweed is considered to be a pest in the southern states of the US, where it covers the surface of thousands of acres of pond and swamps. We recommend harvesting the multi million ton standing crop and feeding to livestock. Are you listening, Lester Brown?
Jos Bakker of Synoptics reports that: . . . "to monitor duckweed in inland water bodies Airborne False Colour Video can be used, but for the processeing of the images conventional techniques do not suffice. New techniques have to be developed, like the 'transect methodology'." All this to identify duckweed so that it can be removed as a pest? We suggest the Dutch make positive use of their duckweed resources to treat the swine waste crisis, which has reached critical proportions.
Wisse van de Guchte of Synoptics' Survey Department reports on the Dutch Government's Water Drainage Information System, (WIS)which combines airborne video monitoring with GIS, to produce an effective means of monitoring duckweed coverage on the Netherland's lakes and waterways.
Aquarium buffs Matthew Kaufman and Doug Knowles marvel at duckweed's efficiency at treating aquarium (fish) water. Try feeding to the fish as well guys. . .
Koi grower David Sorenson reports that Lemna minor will grow in Koi ponds and that fish "devour" the plants. We recommend he tries feeding Lemna minor to his gold fish as well - it has a catnip effect on the little critters. You will discover that they are actually fun to observe for a change. The possibilities are endless . . . a sunday afternoon Koi - duckweed party for friends and neighbors . . . Come over and watch my Koi perform . . .