"If a pond didn't have higher vascular aquatic vegetation, the diversity of the food chain would be destroyed. When that type of thing happens, the result is often a proliferation of single-celled plant life or eutrophication. Crystal-clear water can turn cloudy," says Yen, adding that submerged plants need very clear water to carry out photosynthesis, so that any body of water where they are found is generally very clear.
「如果一個池塘缺乏水生植被，食物網的多樣性等於被破壞，就容易過度滋生單細胞藻類，造成水質優養化，清水變污水」，顏聖紘解釋，水中植物需要透光度高的乾淨水行光合作用，因此有它們的地方，通常是「湖清水秀」。