Growing together: Early-career perspectives on the current state and future of macrophyte research

Early-career researchers (ECRs) play a vital role in advancing macrophyte research, bringing fresh perspectives,
collaborative skills, and innovative methods to the field. Across marine and freshwater realms, macrophytes
function as ecosystem engineers and key indicators of ecosystem health, yet they are declining due to a plethora
of threats. As those who will shape the future of the field, ECRs are well-positioned to identify existing knowledge
gaps and future priorities for the field in macrophyte research in a creative, integrative, and sustainable manner
(both for the ecosystems and the ECRs themselves). Here, we present a unified perspective informed by the results of an international survey of 147 ECRs, capturing how ECRs see the field of macrophyte research at
present and envision its future, including priorities for the field and how to overcome systemic barriers that ECRs
face. Across realms and regions, ECRs currently use classical methods (e.g., field work, statistics) to study a wide
range of topics including biodiversity, biotic interactions, and anthropogenic impacts. Regardless of research
topic, ECRs are aware that technological advances are reshaping how research is conducted but acknowledge
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that they are not a silver bullet. Such advances should be harnessed to complement classical approaches,
particularly taxonomy and field work. However, ECRs face structural barriers, including job insecurity and
funding constraints, that disproportionately impact researchers in resource-limited regions within an already
underrepresented field. Addressing these barriers and strengthening science-society connections is essential for
the field’s future, and requires collaborative, interdisciplinary, and innovative research grounded in a strong
ecological foundation.