Source: NCSU COLLEGE OF AG & LIFE SCIENCES, 11/1/21


“Aquatic weed management is unique because we work in three dimensions instead of two,” said Rob Richardson, NC State Department of Crop and Soil Sciences’ professor of aquatic weed management. “Most terrestrial sites like crops or turf are managed by area. But in water, you have to account for volume and flow.” 

For his outstanding contributions to the field, Richardson was recently named NC State’s William H. Culpepper, Jr. Distinguished Professor in Aquatic Weed Science.

Protecting Shared Waters
Weed science is a diverse field. Aquatic weed management is a highly specialized subset charged with balancing noxious weed control amidst sensitive ecosystems and human activity. 

“Water is a precious resource. Anything that limits water availability or changes the ecosystem balance is significant,” Richardson said. “In natural systems, aquatic weeds can interfere with our native plants and wildlife. In North Carolina, we have rare species that could be diminished or displaced by invasive weeds.”

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