Duckweed Tales

While I was out taking pictures around Scott and Keo, I made a quick visit to a neat old oxbow lake that I had randomly stumbled on while driving around back in May. It's a neat little lake, especially since it is absolutely filled to the brim with thousands of water tupelo trees.



Looking at the map, I'm guessing that the oxbow lake was once part of the Arkansas River (maybe?). This is all a guess - I can't even find out what the name of the lake is.

What looks like algae in the lake is actually a tiny plant called duckweed (or Lemnoideae if you want to be fancy). Duckweed is an aquatic plant that floats on or just below the surface, and it thrives in slow-moving bodies of water like this lake.



Duckweed can be a nuisance, since it grows rapidly and can quickly overtake a pond. But it has some benefits. Scientists are utilizing it as a new source of biofuel, and farmers are using it as a food source for tilapia. Duckweed is also great at removing pollutants, making it a good way to filter water.



My favorite thing about duckweed is that it covers the surface of water like a carpet, which prevents mosquitoes from laying eggs in the still water. I wasn't bothered by any mosquitoes while I was there, which is an amazing statement to make when you're outside in the Delta.