Invasive Species Weblog

Monday, October 07, 2002

Marine Invasive Species Conference

The Massachusetts Bays Program is sponsoring a conference Nov. 14-15 titled "EYES ON THE ESTUARIES: Preventing and Detecting Marine Invasive Species." If you attend you can hear talks about current marine invasive in Massachusetts, potential future invaders, and what we can do to monitor and prevent invasions. The conference is being held at the New England Aquarium in Boston, and is a bargain at $50 for the two days.

Jennifer Forman Orth 11:20 PM | 0 comments |

Sunday, October 06, 2002

Weeds Worldwide

Invasive species pay no attention to political boundaries, a good reason why we need a global effort to prevent invasives from being introduced into new regions. Taking a pointer from the U.S., whose Congress recently introduced legislation to create the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act, Canadian officials are considering similar legislation for their own country. After a meeting of the U.S.-Canada International Joint Commission, members spoke about the problems caused by invasive species that both countries must face, from the spread of the Asian carp to the potential hazards of contaminated ballast water.

Jennifer Forman Orth 11:25 PM | 0 comments |

Saturday, October 05, 2002

Burning the Phrag

Lakeplain prairies are an extremely rare ecosystem, found only on the shores of the Great Lakes. According to this article in Michigan's Times Herald, several areas of lakeplain prairie have been invaded by the reed Phragmites australis, and now the communities are fighting back. Their solution is a three step program: application of herbicide, cutting back of the sprayed plants, and the burning of the prairie to destroy remaining phrag and encourage native prairie plants to reestablish.

Jennifer Forman Orth 10:03 PM | 0 comments |

Friday, October 04, 2002

Banned in the U.S.A.

Today is the first official day of the federal ban on the import of Northern Snakehead (Channa argus), according to this article from The Capital. Congratulations go out to this invasive fish for garnering enough media attention to bypass the 30-day waiting period that is usually in place before a species ban can take effect.

Labels: snakehead

Jennifer Forman Orth 1:20 AM | 0 comments |

Thursday, October 03, 2002

Hogweed? Hogwash!

Increased public awareness about the dangers of Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) has led to hundreds of reports that the species had been spotted, but only a few turned out to be the real thing. Giant hogweed was discovered in the wild in New England earlier this summer. Since then, 9 additional confirmed cases of giant hogweed have been found in Connecticut, according to this article in the Norwich Bulletin. While wading through 300 "sightings" to find those 9 probably led to some seriously overworked scientists, you can't ignore the benefits of educating the public about invasive plants.

Jennifer Forman Orth 11:29 PM | 0 comments |

Wednesday, October 02, 2002

Moo.

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association is concerned about the costs of invasive weeds and the dangers they cause on rangeland, and they want the government to know it. Myra Bradford Hyde, the NCBA director of environmental issues, recently testified before the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry (wow, long name) about her organization's concerns, according to this article from AgricultureLaw.com. You can also read the full press release here.

Jennifer Forman Orth 11:12 PM | 0 comments |

Tuesday, October 01, 2002

Recent Journal Articles

Articles about invasive plants are popping up in a lot of different journals lately. What follows are links to the abstracts. The October issues of Conservation Biology and Molecular Ecology have articles about "The Landscape Ecology of Invasive Plants" and "Locating the sources of an invasive pest, grape phylloxera, using a mitochondrial DNA gene genealogy." Other recently published articles include "Reproductive effort in invasive and non-invasive Rubus" in Oecologia and "Density-dependent regulation in an invasive seaweed: responses at plant and modular levels" in the Journal of Ecology.

Jennifer Forman Orth 10:54 PM | 0 comments |

Monday, September 30, 2002

Invading a video screen near you

Mark your calendar for October 15th, from 1pm-4pm ET; you don't want to miss the Federal Highway Administration's teleconference, "Invasive Species in Transportation Rights of Way:"You Wouldn't Plant Kudzu, Would You?" ." The conference will feature panel discussions about the role of interstate highways in the spread of invasive plants, and programs that have been implemented to hinder that spread. If you can't make it to one of the program's broadcast sites, you can watch it live on the web.

Thanks to a member of the Yahoo! group ma-eppc for posting information about the conference.

Labels: kudzu

Jennifer Forman Orth 10:20 PM | 0 comments |

Sunday, September 29, 2002

Soy is Good

Been hankering to rid your land of nasty invasive plants, but worried about losing your nice layer of topsoil to erosion after the weeds are gone? Well, why not help yourself to a nice crop of GMO soybeans (Glycine max)? In what may be the most interesting application of GMO plants so far, the Nature Conservancy is letting farmers plant crops of Roundup-resistant soybeans on prairieland in Minnesota that is infested with invasive plants. When the crop is harvested, the weeds are gone, and what's left of the soybeans can be plowed under. The site is then reseeded with native prairie grasses. Boulder, Colorado is considering the same project for their own parks, according to this article from The Daily Camera. This is especially interesting given the number of states and countries that have rejected growing the soybeans for agricultural purposes. Soybean is considered to be an invasive species itself in some parts of North America.

Thanks to blahstuff for linking to the Daily Camera article.

Jennifer Forman Orth 12:40 AM | 0 comments |

Saturday, September 28, 2002

Patrolling for Perch

The White Perch (Morone americana) is on its way to Lake Winnebago (perhaps for a vacay?), according to this article from the Wisconsin Post-Crescent. Scientists have found several young perch upstream from the lake, and expect the fish to continue their path upriver. The perch will likely be used as evidence of the dangers of introducing invasive species in the ongoing battle against Wisconsin state officials, who have made plans to open up locks on the Fox River to allow boat traffic through. White perch are native to the Atlantic Coast of the U.S., but have worked their way inland via human-built canals.

Jennifer Forman Orth 4:27 PM | 0 comments |

Friday, September 27, 2002

That's Entertainment

To successfully fight the spread of invasive species, we need to better educate the general public. That's the slant of this article from Newsday.com, which features quotes from panelists speaking to the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. Panelists recommended education would be most effective if done in an entertaining way. Prime candidates for disseminating information in this manner include public aquariums.

Jennifer Forman Orth 1:19 AM | 0 comments |

Wednesday, September 25, 2002

Aussie WeedBusters Week

If you're in Australia October 13-20, be sure to check out the activities for the 9th annual Weedbusters Week. The event aims to raise public awareness about weeds and the role people can play in preventing weed spread. Maybe if you're lucky, you'll see Woody Weed. If you can't make it to any of the plant identification or weed-pulling sessions, you can visit the web site to download posters and information about educational activities.

Jennifer Forman Orth 9:46 PM | 0 comments |

Tuesday, September 24, 2002

Mmmm....Kudzuuuu

If you're near Blythewood, South Carolina this weekend, be sure to stop by the 27th annual Blythewood Kudzu Festival. They've got more uses for Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) than you could ever imagine, from clothing to baskets to yummy jams and sandwiches. It is great to see the folks in Blythewood making lemonade from a hefty crop of lemons. But before you decide to get some Kudzu to start your own local festival, remember that this invasive vine is on the U.S. Federal Noxious Weed list, and is also banned in many states.

Labels: kudzu

Jennifer Forman Orth 1:06 AM | 0 comments |

Monday, September 23, 2002

Milfoil in Lake Cochituate

Seems Lake Cochituate, a large lake in eastern Massachusetts, is in danger of being taken over by Eurasian Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), according to this article from the Framingham Tab. The article reports on the installation of vegetation barriers that officials are hoping will keep the milfoil out of at least part of the lake, and mentions the state's reluctance to combat the problem with herbicide application, since the lake is close to a drinking water supply. There are also several good examples of what other towns in the region have done to battle this pervasive aquatic weed.

Jennifer Forman Orth 1:25 PM | 0 comments |

Saturday, September 21, 2002

Maybe it's the Mussels

Researchers are concerned about the appearance of a "dead zone" covering about one-third of Lake Erie, according to this article in The Marion Star. The dead zone, a low-oxygen area of the lake in which fish cannot survive, appeared in the late 1990s, after years of improvement in water quality in this once heavily polluted Great Lake. The primary suspect at this point is the Quagga Mussel (Dreissena bugensis), a European native that is closely related to the Zebra Mussel (D. polymorpha). Quagga mussels have been known in the Great Lakes since the 1990s, and can cause problems by digesting organic material from the lake bottom while releasing phosphorus. The phosphorus contributes to algal growth, which can severely deplete dissolved oxygen levels in the water. Other potential contributors to the problem include increased sewage and agricultural runoff, and a drop in lake water levels.

Jennifer Forman Orth 9:37 PM | |

Friday, September 20, 2002

Loosestrife Lover

Blasphemy? Perhaps. But not everyone thinks of Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) as the scourge of American wetlands. As this article from the Times Herald-Record in New York demonstrates, some researchers consider it a species with wildlife value, and do not concur with claims that it crowds out native wetland plants. I think it is likely that the honeybee and ladybug mentioned as inhabiting the loosestrife that was "teeming with life" are not native either.

Labels: plants, purple loosestrife

Jennifer Forman Orth 5:31 PM | 0 comments |

Thursday, September 19, 2002

NISA, Make way for the NAISA

The National Invasive Species Act (NISA), introduced in 1996, is set to end September 30th. In its place, lawmakers are offering the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act (NAISA), along with additional legislation on more general invasive species research. You can read a press release about it, from the Union of Concerned Scientists, by clicking here.

Jennifer Forman Orth 10:03 PM | |

Wednesday, September 18, 2002

Learning About Loosestrife

You can now earn college credits studying the invasive plant Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is offering an online course, geared towards high school and middle school teachers, beginning this October. Since the course is online, you do not have to be in Illinois to benefit!

(Thanks to a member of the ALIENS-L listserver for posting information about this topic.)

Labels: Illinois, plants, purple loosestrife

Jennifer Forman Orth 11:27 PM | 0 comments |

Tuesday, September 17, 2002

Good Neighbors

It seems with all the furor that erupted over the spread of fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) through the U.S., an associated invasive species was being overlooked. According to ScienceDaily, scientists at Texas A&M University have reported that the Rhodesgrass Mealybug (Antonina graminis) was discovered living in association with fire ants, and in fact were provided lodging, along with an aphid species, in "shelters" built by the ants nearby their own mounds. More research needs to be done to explain exactly why the ants sometimes build these shelters, but it is obvious that they do have a symbiotic relationship with the mealybugs. You can read the abstract for this study, published in this month's Ecology.

Labels: ants, fire ants

Jennifer Forman Orth 10:45 PM | 0 comments |

Monday, September 16, 2002

Really Wild Jamaican Coffee

The Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN), which just recently met in Jamaica, has made it a priority to support information exchange on invasive species topics between all American countries. One topic discussed was the effect of wild coffee plants on the indigenous flora of Jamaica (I am unsure what species is referred to here, since "wild coffee" is used to describe more than one genera). Until the IABIN updates their website with the most current information about the forum, you can read this article from the Jamaica Observer.

Jennifer Forman Orth 10:45 PM | 0 comments |

Sunday, September 15, 2002

Buy Something, You'll Feel Better

Announcing the first in a series of products designed to spread the word about invasive plants. Using a great free service from cafepress.com, I have designed a ceramic tile featuring four "Invasive Woody Species of America." You can purchase this limited edition tile/coaster here. There will be more tiles offered in the coming months, and in the near future I will be debuting several other items for your buying pleasure. Any profits made from the sale of these items will go towards increasing public awareness of invasive species issues.

Jennifer Forman Orth 10:47 PM | 1 comments |

Saturday, September 14, 2002

Eating Autumn Olive

Why let those Autumn Olive fruits (Elaeagnus umbellata) go to the birds? If you're thinking of trying to stem the wave of Autumn Olive seedlings in your town, below are a couple of recipes that call for those juicy, red fruits! (Feel free to send samples.) There are even possible cancer-fighting benefits to consuming them, because they contain large quantities of the antioxidant lycopene. For those of you having problems with full-grown trees, the roots make lovely walking sticks.

Autumn Olive Wine (Really!!)
Autumn Olive Jam

Update 10/2004: Those of you interested in eating your way out of the invasive plant problem may want to check out "Wild Plants I Have Known…and Eaten," a book by Russ Cohen. It features chapters about several common invaders, including autumn olive and Japanese knotweed.

Jennifer Forman Orth 11:41 PM | |

Friday, September 13, 2002

Russian Olive Revealed


Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)	Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)

Now that the growing season is over, I think I've finally figured out how to tell the difference between Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) and Russian Olive (E. angustifolia). Of course, it's pretty easy right now, since Russian Olive has yellow, mealy fruits, while Autumn Olive has juicy, red fruits (See photos above). If I hadn't recently found a Russian Olive right near campus, I'd probably still be wondering. I'll have to see if I can use the facts that Russian Olive has longer, thinner, more silvery leaves, as well as much more prominent thorns, to tell the two species apart next spring.

Jennifer Forman Orth 11:25 PM | 2 comments |

Thursday, September 12, 2002

Weed Free Feed

I just ran across a really interesting website called "Weed Free Feed." It aims to educate everyone, but specifically horseowners, about the prevention of invasive weeds on public lands. Animal forage (hay, straw, etc.), mulch, and places where feed grain is stored can all be certified as weed free in California, and the WFF Working Group hopes that soon every horse owner will request it.

Jennifer Forman Orth 11:18 PM | 0 comments |

Wednesday, September 11, 2002

Let your Phreak Phrag Fly

Ever since you found out that there were both native and introduced types of Common Reed (Phragmites australis), you have been dying to know if that patch in your backyard is a foreign invader, haven't you? Well, now here's your chance: The Phragmites Diagnostic Service at Cornell University is offering to test your sample for free! If you have several samples that you want to have tested, you have to pre-register, but it's still free! Or you could do what I'm going to try to do, which is identify native stands of Phrag using this handy guide.

Thanks to a member of the Yahoo! group ma-eppc for posting information about this project.

Jennifer Forman Orth 8:50 PM | 0 comments |

Tuesday, September 10, 2002

Salt vs. Weeds

Here's a little blurb, from ABC News Australia (I doubt this story will appear on the U.S, news sites), about the 13th annual Australian Weed Conference, going on right now in Perth. It's got a quote from Dr. Rick Roush, pointing out that with all the money spent to combat salinity problems in agriculture, little is given to fight weeds, which are at least as big of a problem.

Jennifer Forman Orth 11:24 PM | 0 comments |

Monday, September 09, 2002

Let's Talk Bugs

The Entomological Society of Ontario has scheduled their annual meeting from October 18-20, 2002. The topic this year is "Invasive Species and Biodiversity," so if you're interested and will be in the area, or if you want to submit a paper or poster, go here.

(Thanks to a member of the ALIENS-L listserver for posting information about this meeting.)

Jennifer Forman Orth 11:29 PM | 0 comments |

Sunday, September 08, 2002

101 Dalmatian Toadflaxes

Seems that Lake Tahoe, California is having problems with the invasive Mediterranean plant Dalmation Toadflax (Linaria dalmatica). According to this article from KCRA Channel 3's web site, the invasion has already progressed to the point where it will take at least 3 years to eradicate the plant from the area. A invasive Knapweed (species was not named in the article) has also raised the concerns of scientists after it was found in the area.

Jennifer Forman Orth 11:11 PM | 0 comments |