Global Diversity and Distribution of Aquatic Macrophytes

This chapter describes the global diversity and distribution of 3543 species within the 453 genera and 92 plant families that contain vascular macrophytes across the eight world ecozones in which these plants are present. The chapter highlights 12 high-diversity families (each having >100 macrophyte species), and discusses range distribution (broad, intermediate, narrow and very narrow world ranges), latitudinal distribution and ecological boundaries of macrophyte distribution. Small global ranges are the norm for most macrophyte species. Macrophyte diversity is significantly related to latitude, showing a strong Rapoport Effect, though less so with other physical geographical drivers.