Bad Karma Chameleons

In a followup to a story reported in the Invasive Species Weblog last month, officials in Hawaii caught not one but 6 live veiled chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus) last week on the island of Maui. As reported in the Star Bulletin, there is great concern that establishment of these reptiles, often kept as pets, will be to the detriment of native Hawaiian birds and insects. The captured chameleons were a mix of males and females, and have no known natural enemies in Hawaii. You can read the government's original press release here.

An expensive hobby?

Get caught selling water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) in Australia, and it could cost you $1000 AUS. The West Australian is reporting that the Department of Agriculture is spreading the word after officials discovered the plant being sold and traded at swap meets. Regardless of the problems known to be caused by this species, there continues to be a demand for it for use in aquariums and ponds. The Dept. of Agriculture is hoping a public information campaign will help spread the word to the general public.

Thanks to a member of the ALIENS-L listerserver for posting the link to this article.

Banned in the USA...or just in Colorado

In a case of too little too late, the Colorado Department of Agriculture has banned the sale of Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) by nurseries in that state, according to this article from the Glenwood Springs Post Independent. The invasive tree/shrub is already a major problem in Colorado, as it is in many part of the western U.S., and nurseries sell so little of it that the ban, which starts Jan. 1, 2003, will barely impact their sales. Hopefully this gesture will help build public awareness about the dangers of planting Russian olive and other invasive species. The Dept. of Agriculture is recommending people consider the native silver buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea) as a replacement species.

Ice Ice, Baby

Last weekend a dozen volunteers converged on populations of the South African ice plant (Carpobrotus edulis) located on a beach in Santa Cruz County, California. As reported in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, the goal was to remove the invasive species from sand dunes and hopefully allow the native plant populations there a chance to recover. There is some controversy about this project that stems from the very reason ice plants were introduced in the first place: they are very effective at dune stabilization. With the ice plants removed, it is likely that the dunes will revert to a natural state, which means they'll be moving around. This may cause problems for those charged with maintaining the beaches, which are park of the state park system. Here's a story about a similar project in Marin County.

New in Print

For those times when you find yourself without computer access (horror!), there are several recently (or about to be) published books about invasive species:

• Biological Invasions: Economic and Environmental Costs of Alien Plant, Animal, and Microbe Species, edited by David Pimentel, primary author of this incredibly well-cited article.
• Predicting Invasions of Nonindigenous Plants and Plant Pests, which you can read for free online! The hard copy will cost you about $35.
• The new text book Invasion Ecology, available in teacher and student versions.
• Tim Low's Feral Future: The Untold Story of Australia's Exotic Invaders, recently updated with a new preface.
• For kids interested in invasive species, you might want to pick up a copy of Aliens from Earth: When Animals and Plants Invade Other Ecosystems, which will be published in March 2003.

Swimming with Algae

Australian officials were initially so concerned about the invasion of the tropical algae Caulerpa taxifolia that they banned most recreational activities around the West Lakes waterway system. Now, according to this article from The Advertiser, the restriction has been lifted in some areas, and beaches were opened for swimming just in time for the start of summer. Authorities aren't concerned with beachgoers spreading the algae, because so little of it grows near the edge of the water. But they may have another reason not to worry, at least for now: barely anyone is showing up to swim. Fishing and other boating bans remain in effect.

Well, if it worked for Enron. Oh, wait...

Florida's Herald-Tribune is reporting on an interesting technological advance in the fight against invasive plants. Called the "pepper grinder," the machine, which shreds wood and turns it into mulch, is being used to target the pervasive Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius). There is currently some controversy about the pepper grinder, designed by a Florida company and used by Enviro-Friendly Vegetation Control, since there is evidence that company did some damage to native mangrove trees. But for right now, Charlotte County officials are remaining open to the idea, especially since it is a cost-effective method of invasive species control and an alternative to completely clearing invaded land.