The Mississippi River, with its many islands, sloughs and backwaters, is rich in nutrients that sustain aquatic plants which make up the bottom of the food web for living organisms in the river ecosystem. Various species of pondweed along with water milfoil, elodea, watershield, duckweed, arrowhead, bulrush, cattail, and wild rice populate the stagnant backwaters and ponds. Filamentous and plankton algae are bioindicators identifying areas that may be polluted with excessive nutrients.
These aquatic plants serve as an important food source and provide habitat. They produce oxygen and organic material to benefit other organisms. Their leaves and stems provide habitat for insects and other plants. They provide spawning habitat, food, and cover for a variety of fish.
