As natural freshwater habitats decline, garden ponds are increasingly important. However, the growing number of private ponds may also be accelerating the spread of invasive species. Many aquatic plants are acquired through international trade, making garden ponds a high-risk entry point for invasive “hitchhikers.” ⁠ ⁠ Scientists at the Institute of Aquatic Ecology at the HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research in Hungary launched a citizen-science initiative called MyPond. ⁠ ⁠ In this project, pond owners could report on biodiversity in their private water features. The findings revealed that nearly half of all surveyed ponds contained at least one of six targeted invasive plant species, the most frequent being the water hyacinth, or Eichhornia crassipes. ⁠ ⁠ To combat this in the future, scientists suggest that horticultural institutions should play a more active role in educating pond owners on the plants that they’re purchasing, starting with a list of alternative native plant speci...