Sowing discontent in a GCC world

[Botnst]

"So what?", you might ask. Some plants might rip your yard a new one, so sow early, sow often.

Bot

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Varney: Invasive plants in a warming world
By Robert W. Varney
GateHouse News Service
Posted Jun 03, 2008 @ 02:06 PM

They're out there. Little by little, a silent invasion is sweeping across the northeast landscape, and the rest of the world for that matter. An oft overlooked but devastating ecological crisis: invasive, exotic plants are exacting a toll on New England's array of forests, fields, and wetlands.

The invaders - released outside their native lands, notably Europe and Asia - got their foothold here in the early 19th century. At that time, Americans were embracing plants from across the globe for both ornamental and agricultural purposes. Now infamous for escaping their garden boundaries, the ecological havoc wrought by these plants on our natural systems is well documented. Free from the insect and disease predators of their native countries, invasive plants can easily out-compete and displace entire native plant communities.

Let's keep in mind why plants are crucial to life on earth. They are the only organisms capable of capturing the sun's energy and, through photosynthesis, converting that energy into food for animals, including us. Insects play a critical role in food webs by consuming native plants, and in doing so, transferring the energy otherwise locked in plants to other animals (for example, birds and frogs) that prey upon them.

Most native insects cannot or will not eat invasive plants. When native plants are crowded out by invasives, insects - including many that are beneficial to people - are deprived of essential food sources, ultimately leading to a weakened food chain. As native vegetation and native wildlife are inextricably linked, what was once a healthy, tightly integrated assemblage of native plants and wildlife begins to unravel.

What, then, does the specter of plant invasions have to do with wetlands and global warming? Plenty. While much attention has been brought to anticipated sea level rise and increased frequency and intensity of storms due to climate change - all of which adversely impact coastal wetlands - much uncertainty remains about the fate of our inland marshes and swamps in the face of rising temperatures.

At least one variable seems a little more predictable, however: USDA plant scientists are finding that increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (a primary driver of climate change) appear to favor the growth of some invasive plants over their native counterparts. If such observations hold true, we could witness an even more dramatic expansion of non-native plants blanketing our most coveted open spaces, especially wetlands.

Wetlands are particularly vulnerable to non-native plant invasions. Referred to as landscape "sinks," most wetlands are low-lying areas where debris, sediments, and water accumulate from up-gradient locations. As water flows into a wetland, it can carry invasive seeds and fragments of invasive plants from more distant locations. Woody debris and eroded sediments are also flushed into wetlands during storms, and in the process smother native vegetation. An area of smothered vegetation can create an opening in the wetland canopy, which in turn provides direct sunlight to disturbed, barren soils, all ideal conditions under which invasive plants tend to take hold.

In the face of such adversity, what's a beleaguered wetland to do? Fortunately, federal and state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and volunteer groups are stepping up to the challenge of controlling exotic invasions.

EPA has awarded grants to local groups to fight the battle. Most recently, an EPA 5-star wetland restoration grant was awarded to the Massachusetts Audubon Society for using "biocontrol agents" in the form of the Galerucella beetle to control the spread of the exotic purple loosestrife in the Great Marsh of Essex County.

Audubon teamed up with north shore students from the Glen Urquhart and Essex Agricultural and Technical High Schools to raise these beetles that feed exclusively on the loosestrife weed. Last spring students released the beetles at three sites owned by Audubon covering over 16 acres. A similar beetle release is scheduled this spring, and may serve as a model for managing purple loosestrife throughout the Society's 32,000 acres of conservation land. This is just a start. We will need additional innovative and expanded efforts to combat invasive plants.

As EPA celebrates the 18th anniversary of American Wetlands Month this May, consider incorporating native flora - and removing invasive plants - in your backyard. It's not too late to save the precious matrix of native plants, insects and animals that comprise our natural New England.

Robert Varney is regional administrator for the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

[Chad300tdt]

Originally Posted by Botnst

EPA has awarded grants to local groups to fight the battle. Most recently, an EPA 5-star wetland restoration grant was awarded to the Massachusetts Audubon Society for using "biocontrol agents" in the form of the Galerucella beetle to control the spread of the exotic purple loosestrife in the Great Marsh of Essex County.

Audubon teamed up with north shore students from the Glen Urquhart and Essex Agricultural and Technical High Schools to raise these beetles that feed exclusively on the loosestrife weed. Last spring students released the beetles at three sites owned by Audubon covering over 16 acres. A similar beetle release is scheduled this spring, and may serve as a model for managing purple loosestrife throughout the Society's 32,000 acres of conservation land. This is just a start. We will need additional innovative and expanded efforts to combat invasive plants.

When the weeds are gone, what will they do about the beetles ... release a bird or frog that will eat them, then a snake to eat the bird or frog ...

[rwthomas1]

I used to live on a small Caribbean island. Way back when, someone got the bright idea to import Mongoose to be released to control the snake population. Note that the snakes were not poisonous, just frightening to the workers cutting sugarcane on plantations. Well, the Mongoose did its job, it wiped out the snake population. Ever since then the Mongoose has had its way with chickens, etc. and no one has figured out a way to get rid of the Mongoose. What fun.

Actually, I found a baby Mongoose in a field when I was growing up, just born and blind at birth. I raised him and it was fun until he turned wild/mean at about 3 yrs old. Neat pet though.

You mess with nature long enough and it will mess you back. RT

[Botnst]

IIRC, Hawaii and other Pacific islands tried the mongoose thing resulting in near eradication of the bird population. Mongooses found bird eggs easier to catch than snakes.

B

[SwampYankee]

We've had tough time in CT with Purple Loostrife (oh, but it's so pretty), Japanese Knot Weed, Bittersweet, water chestnut and phragmites, and now Mile-A-Minute vine is creeping in from New York state. The stuff is tenacious! The State of CT seems to be on top of things as far as trying to control invasives and figuring which will be the invasives in the future.

A number of historically popular wildflowers have made their way onto the "Potentially Invasive" list, which is purely voluntary at this point as to whether or not dealers/nurseries sell the, (we elect not to sell them), but one thing that gets me is that there are still specifications for state jobs that have those species listed in the requirements for the projects. Just another example of there being no communication within the different state branches and agencies.

I'm all for biocontrols in theory but it seems just as often as not that the biocontrol is the next thing that needs to be controlled.

[Chad300tdt]

Originally Posted by Botnst

IIRC, Hawaii and other Pacific islands tried the mongoose thing resulting in near eradication of the bird population. Mongooses found bird eggs easier to catch than snakes.

B

Hawaii is also dealing with the coqui invasion without introducing another animal. You can boil them, freeze them or learn to deal with the chirping.

[Botnst]

Originally Posted by SwampYankee

We've had tough time in CT with Purple Loostrife (oh, but it's so pretty), Japanese Knot Weed, Bittersweet, water chestnut and phragmites, and now Mile-A-Minute vine is creeping in from New York state. The stuff is tenacious! The State of CT seems to be on top of things as far as trying to control invasives and figuring which will be the invasives in the future.

A number of historically popular wildflowers have made their way onto the "Potentially Invasive" list, which is purely voluntary at this point as to whether or not dealers/nurseries sell the, (we elect not to sell them), but one thing that gets me is that there are still specifications for state jobs that have those species listed in the requirements for the projects. Just another example of there being no communication within the different state branches and agencies.

I'm all for biocontrols in theory but it seems just as often as not that the biocontrol is the next thing that needs to be controlled.

Once these species get established, like purple loosestrife, they are practically ineradicable. Though each species should be studied and attacked differently (if at all), I think we are mostly wasting money on control efforts. Only with noxious pests of row crops or animal disease vectors (including human) have we ever been able to control alien species. And only after persistent, extremely expensive, comprehensive efforts followed by relentless vigilance. It simply isn't cost-effective to do that for most exotics since they do not threaten the food supply or pose a disease risk.

The best control is to cease importation of non-native species, which the Garden Clubs of America and the horticulture trade have resisted far more effectively than anything USDA has been able to introduce for control. It's only a hot-button item for a handful of us wacko environmentalists and we have no money.

In the long term, no control will work. The concept of nativity will disappear.

B

[SwampYankee]

Originally Posted by Chad300tdt

Hawaii is also dealing with the coqui invasion without introducing another animal. You can boil them, freeze them or learn to deal with the chirping.

Mmmmm, coconut fried mongoose. Mongoose Cacciatore.

[Botnst]

My "favorite" pest right now is the Golden Apple Snail. It is originally from South American and will quickly grow to the size of a crabapple. The French imported it to Vietnam fairly recently as it is a well-flavored source of protein that just requires a bit of warm water and some aquatic vegetation. Sounds like a rice paddy, doesn't it?

Well, sure enough, the Vietnamese took to the snail like a Frenchman with a bowl of clarified butter. It was quickly introduced around the country and has since become a major pest of rice farmers. No pesticide works effectively. It has since been introduced to the Philippines.

It is the large, pretty, active snail that we like to put in our freshwater aquaria. It soon consumes all of the algae and then starts on the plants so we snatch that sucker out and throw it into a nearby ditch, pond, swamp or creek.

It is now found in nature in the USA in parts of California, Texas, Louisiana and Florida (not to be confused with the native apple snail of Florida, which is NOT a pest). It is still eradicable because the populations in those areas are still quite restricted to small areas. But it would take a lot of funding to hand-pick the snails and continue to do so, probably in perpetuity. Failure to do so will threaten all aquatic or semi-aquatic agricultural vegetation. It may also offer a threat to native systems. Nobody knows.

OTOH, it is a giant knot of protein and fat. There are very few large amphibious or aquatic predators in Vietnam & Philippines that eat snails. In the USA we have turtles, alligators, otters, mink, raccoons, opossums, bears, ibis and a kite that eat snails. So maybe nature will hold them in check. Nobody knows because nobody has done the necessary research.

B

[Chad300tdt]

Wow they look delicious. I've never had escargot stuffed with mushrooms.

[SwampYankee]

Originally Posted by Botnst

Once these species get established, like purple loosestrife, they are practically ineradicable. Though each species should be studied and attacked differently (if at all), I think we are mostly wasting money on control efforts. Only with noxious pests of row crops or animal disease vectors (including human) have we ever been able to control alien species. And only after persistent, extremely expensive, comprehensive efforts followed by relentless vigilance. It simply isn't cost-effective to do that for most exotics since they do not threaten the food supply or pose a disease risk.

As far as the expense, one thing CT has done is to put the onus of control or eradication on property owners who may want to improve or develop properties encroaching on the wetlands/shoreline areas. In order to get approval the owners need to keep species X and Y under control, in a given area which is generally larger than their property. It's admittedly a piece-meal approach but it does seem to be having some effect. Especially with phragmites.

Originally Posted by Botnst

The best control is to cease importation of non-native species, which the Garden Clubs of America and the horticulture trade have resisted far more effectively than anything USDA has been able to introduce for control. It's only a hot-button item for a handful of us wacko environmentalists and we have no money.

In the long term, no control will work. The concept of nativity will disappear.

B

I'm wondering if your "hot-button item" is on the cusp of garnering more wide-spread support. I can't speak for anywhere else, but here there has been more interest in getting back to heritage/colonial gardening and native plant use. At least on the flower and ornamental side. Even with lawns, colonial bentgrass seems to be getting more popular since it's perfectly suited to our soil and growing conditions and needs little to no maintenance (I'm considering that as well as more native plantings to cut down on mowable lawn area). That may be due in part to the large number of historic districts and wanting to bring that very traditional look back and might be the case in other similar situations.