Transcript 12 - Bailey - Invasive Plants

Invasive Plants
What is an invasive plant?
Why are these invasive plants
such a problem?
What are some common invasive plant
species across the country?
What we can do to prevent their spread?
Definition of Invasive Species
• Definition: Non-native or alien species to the
ecosystem under consideration and whose
introduction does or is likely to cause economic,
environmental harm, or harm to human health.
“Alien species" means, with respect to a particular
ecosystem, any species, including its seeds,
eggs, spores, or other biological material
capable of propagating that species, that is not
native to that ecosystem.
How did they get here?
Invasive species
• Introduced for food, fiber, pharmaceutical ,and
ornamental reasons
• 50,000 invasive plant and animal species are
established in the U.S.
• 5000 plant species have escaped and now exist
in U.S. natural ecosystems (Morse et al., 1995)
Problems caused by invasive
species
• Crowd out native plants and wildlife that
depend on them.
• Disrupt ecosystem processes; hydrology
natural succession and pollination
• Cause soil erosion and change soil chemistry
• Create additional fire hazard
Problem of Invasive Species
• Invasive plants represent 47% of the total
flora of most states. This percentage
continues to increase annually (Zheng et al., 2004)
• Cost $138 billion annually in the US (Pimental et
al., 2000).
USDA’s budget at $990 million.
USACE’s budget at $55 million.
• Approximately 42% of Threatened and
Endangered species are at risk because of
invasive species (Pimental et al.,2000)
Executive Order 13112
Signed by President Clinton, 1999.
• Establishes the National Invasive Species
Council. Currently there are 13 Departments and
Agencies on the Council.
• Purpose: to prevent the introduction of invasive
species and provide for their control and to
minimize the economic, ecological, and human
health impacts that invasive species cause
• The Council wrote the National Invasive Species
Management Plan
Definitions
• "Control" means, as appropriate, eradicating,
suppressing, reducing, or managing invasive
species populations, preventing spread of
invasive species from areas where they are
present, and taking steps such as restoration of
native species and habitats to reduce the effects
of invasive species and to prevent further
invasions.
10 Riparian invasive species
• NE
Purple Loosestrife; Japanese Stilt Grass
• SE
Kudzu; Japanese Knotweed
• SW
Salt Cedar; Giant Reed
• NW
Cheat grass; Common Reed
• Country wide:
Russian Olive; Autumn Olive
Invasive Plant Species of
Arkansas
Purple loosestrife
Lythrum salicaria
Purple loosestrife
Lythrum salicaria
• Native to Europe, SE Asia, Russia, India
• Listed as a invasive plant in all U.S. states except FL.
• Invades and fills habitat niche and provides no wildlife
food value
• Clogs waterways and sends millions of seeds into
water system
• Brought here as an ornamental
• Change in nutrient cycling of N and alters wetland
function (accelerate eutrophication)
Japanese Stilt Grass
Microstegium vimineum
Japanese Stilt Grass
Microstegium vimineum
• Native to Asia, introduced 1919
• Invasive in 15 eastern states
• Carpets the Riparian bottomland with
thick thatch that prohibits the growth of
native plants
• It is physiologically adaptive and may
alter soil conditions to benefit itself by
increasing the pH, nitrification and
nitrate
Kudzu
Pueraria montana Var. lobata
Kudzu
Pueraria montana var. lobata
• Native to China, introduced in late 1876 at
the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition &
promoted as a forage crop. Also planted
by the CCC to prevent erosion.
• Invasive in 22 states
Positive growth response to increasing CO2
• Tolerant of nutrient-poor, compacted soils
and drought conditions
Japanese Knotweed
Fallopia japonica
Japanese Knotweed
Fallopia japonica
• Native to Asia, introduced in late 1800’s
aws an ornamental plant.
• Invasive to 36 states
• Grows in Zones 4 – 8, Herbaceous shrub
to 3 m tall
• Preference for wet environments, riparian
and disturbed areas
• A synonym for this plant (in some Floras)
is Polygonum cuspidatum.
Salt Cedar
Tamarix ramosissima
Salt Cedar
Tamarix ramosissima Ledebour
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Native to Eurasia and Africa
Small tree, brought in as an ornamental
Noxious weed in 13 western states
Widespread in riparian systems, displacing other
native plants.
• Water-use rates of Tamarix are among the highest of
any phreatophyte evaluated in the S.W. and lowers the
water table (can consume 4 ac-ft of groundwater
annually).
• Increases soil salinity; salts redistributed from deep in
the soil to the soil surface which inhibit other plant sp.
Salt Cedar
Tamarix ramosissima
Control and Management:
• Manual – Digging, root cutting by any
mechanical means, fire and flooding
• Chemical- General use herbicides such as glyphosate
or triclopyr; product approved for aquatic application.
Follow label and state requirements.
• Biocontrol- 15 insects; a mealybug (Tributina
mannipara) and a leaf beetle (Diorhabda elongata) have
been released. Leaf Beetle is impacting Endangered
Willow Flycatcher habitat. Five other insects are being
studied for release in the US.
Giant Reed
Arundo donax
Giant Reed
Arundo donax
• Native to India and countries around the
Mediterranean sea
• Forms dense thickets which chokes riverside and
stream channels
• Crowds out native plants and reduces wildlife
habitat
• Creates fire hazard
• Small plant fragments can travel downstream and
invade new areas
Giant Reed
Arundo donax
Control and Management:
Manual – Repeat mowing is necessary.
Chemical- General use herbicides such as
glyphosate. Apply to clumps after flowering.
Prescribed burning alone or in combination with
use of herbicide. Follow label and state
requirements.
Biocontrol agent from Europe being tested.
Cheatgrass
Bromus tectorum
Cheatgrass
Bromus tectorum
• Native to Europe, N Africa, SW Asia
• Invasive in 17 states
• Many ecosystems that Cheatgrass has invaded are
seriously altered and no longer support the natural plant
community and can maintain dominance for many years
• Grows in semi arid environment (10”-22” annual precip.)
• Long awns can pierce animals feet, mouth, nose, eyes
and ears
• It is a fuel, creating very hot fires in these grasslands
Cheatgrass
Bromus tectorum
Control and Management:
Manual – Mowing, grazing, fire and
interseeding of competitive native plants
Chemical- General use herbicides such as
glyphosate. Follow label and state
requirements.
Biocontrol - Pink Snow mold (Fusarium nivale)
is being investigated as a control agent.
Common Reed
Phragmites australis
Common Reed
Phragmites australis
• Native to Europe and the fertile crescent.
• Eliminate diverse wetland native plant communities
and provides little wildlife food or shelter
• Forms dense monoculture stands quickly and
occurs in all 48 continental states.
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It can grow in a wide range of soil conditions: in
disturbed area, polluted soils, in somewhat dry
sites and in water that is 6 feet deep
Common Reed
Phragmites australis
Control and Management:
Manual – Mowing may be effective.
Burning plant after it flowers in AugustSeptember, but fire will stimulate growth in the
Spring.
Chemical - General use herbicides such as
glyphosate. Follow label and state
requirements.
Biocontrol - No known bio-controls at this time.
Russian Olive
Elaeagnus angustifolius
Russian Olive
Elaeagnus angustifolius
• Native to southern Europe and western Asia
• Invasive in 31 states
• Interferes with natural plant succession and
nutrient cycling and tax water reserves
• It is capable of fixing nitrogen and can grow on
bare mineral substrate
• Birds will eat berries and spread this tree, however
ecologists have found that bird richness is actually
higher in riparian areas with native vegetation
Russian Olive
Elaeagnus angustifolius
Control and Management:
Manual – Mowing hedges with brush type
equipment and removal of cut material.
Chemical - General use herbicides such as
triclopyr or imazapyr. Also Metasulfuron-methyl
with a surfactant is also reported to be
effective. After manual process will also need
to stump treat with herbicide. Follow label and
state requirements.
Biocontrol – None known at this time.
Autumn Olive
Elaeagnus umbellata
Autumn Olive
Elaeagnus umbellata
• Native to Asia, introduced in the 1830’s.
• Invasive to 23 states
• Shrub or small tree, grows in Zones 4 – 8 and spreads
extremely rapidly
• Prolific seeding; dispersed by birds and by water.
Seed eaten by birds, but not preferentially.
• Can live in a wide range of habitats; tolerant of infertile
and dry soils. Can alter nutrient cycling
Autumn Olive
Elaeagnus umbellata
Control and Management:
Manual – Sprouts pulled by hand. Cutting will result
in thicker, denser plants. Burning during the
dormant season also results in vigorous resprouting.
Chemical- General use herbicides such as
glyphosate. Foliar application is effective. This is a
nonselective herbicide, so care should be taken
with other plants. Follow label and state
requirements.
Biocontrol – None known at this time.
Plantwise Guidelines
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Know your plants
Use non-invasive alternatives
Watch out for invasive plant hitchhikers
Be careful if you share plants
Use only seed mixes that are invasive
plant free
Plantwise Guidelines
• Use weed-free soil and mulch mix
• Be especially careful with aquatic plants
• Keep an eye on new sprouts and
volunteers
• Dispose of invasive plants carefully
• If you can’t part with your invasive plant,
remember – contain it, control it or cage it.
Sources and websites
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http://www.invasivespecies.gov/.
Plant Management Information System (PMIS)
Aquatic Plant Information System (APIS)
http:// na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasiveplants/weeds/index.shtm
Huebner C.D. 2007. Invasive Plants Field and
Reference Guide. NA-TP-05-04. USDA Forest Service.
• www.invasive.org Invasive Plants of the Eastern United
States Identification and control
• [email protected] (for invasive sp.list serve)
Review
• Definition of invasive species: Non-native or alien
species to the ecosystem under consideration and
whose introduction does or is likely to cause
economic, environmental harm, or harm to human
health.
• Invasive plants are a problem because they crowd
out native species, do not support our native fauna,
cause native species to become threatened and
endangered, alter the soil chemistry, alter
hydrology and present a fire danger.
Review
10 Riparian invasive species
• NE
Purple Loosestrife; Japanese Stilt Grass
• SE
Kudzu; Japanese Knotweed
• SW
Salt Cedar; Giant Reed
• NW
Cheat grass; Common Reed
• Country wide:
Russian Olive; Autumn Olive
Contact information