Secrets of Invasion
How invasive species do it and is there any hope to fight them back?
Graduates in environmental protection who are leaving their universities are fully convinced that biodiversity is the most valuable aspect of the nature. If we gain more plants we win higher plants diversity. Unfortunately not all alien species get adopted into local ecosystems. Some of them become invasive. Can we force those invaders to become an enriching part of local plant communities?
Bitou bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera) presents incredible skills in removing native individuals. At the moment around 80% of NSW coast is tightly covered with its yellow flowering twigs (Thomas 2002). First it out competes them; secondly it creates its own mono-community. Invasion is followed by changes in microclimate (Lindsay, 2004). The belowground conditions are altering as well. Lindsay (2004) writes that the nutrient cycling regime may shift to the one which is in favour of this “pain-in-the-ass” bush .
There are many pathways which lead to success of exotic plant in the non-local ecosystem. We should keep on investigating this and other cases very carefully until its mechanisms become understood and manageable. Although I do my best workers like me plus herbicides seem to be inefficient. Recently some observations were made in South Africa - bitou bush native environment. It is growing there in much more humble way. It resulted in releasing such agents like bitou tip moths and the bitou seed fly withig the region of NSW. Together we can fight them back!
Reference:
Fogarty G. & Facelli J.M (1999) Growth and competition of Cystisus scoparius, an invasive shrub and Australian native shrub. Plant Ecology 144:27-35.
Lindsay E.A., The impact of Chrysanthomoides minilifera spp. Rotundata (bitou bush) on coastal ecosystem processes, University of Wollongong Thesis, 2004.
Thomas J. (2002) Bitou bush 2001 mapping report. N.S.W National Parks and Wildlife Service, Sydney.
Graduates in environmental protection who are leaving their universities are fully convinced that biodiversity is the most valuable aspect of the nature. If we gain more plants we win higher plants diversity. Unfortunately not all alien species get adopted into local ecosystems. Some of them become invasive. Can we force those invaders to become an enriching part of local plant communities?
Bitou bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera) presents incredible skills in removing native individuals. At the moment around 80% of NSW coast is tightly covered with its yellow flowering twigs (Thomas 2002). First it out competes them; secondly it creates its own mono-community. Invasion is followed by changes in microclimate (Lindsay, 2004). The belowground conditions are altering as well. Lindsay (2004) writes that the nutrient cycling regime may shift to the one which is in favour of this “pain-in-the-ass” bush .
There are many pathways which lead to success of exotic plant in the non-local ecosystem. We should keep on investigating this and other cases very carefully until its mechanisms become understood and manageable. Although I do my best workers like me plus herbicides seem to be inefficient. Recently some observations were made in South Africa - bitou bush native environment. It is growing there in much more humble way. It resulted in releasing such agents like bitou tip moths and the bitou seed fly withig the region of NSW. Together we can fight them back!
Reference:
Fogarty G. & Facelli J.M (1999) Growth and competition of Cystisus scoparius, an invasive shrub and Australian native shrub. Plant Ecology 144:27-35.
Lindsay E.A., The impact of Chrysanthomoides minilifera spp. Rotundata (bitou bush) on coastal ecosystem processes, University of Wollongong Thesis, 2004.
Thomas J. (2002) Bitou bush 2001 mapping report. N.S.W National Parks and Wildlife Service, Sydney.
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