Sinister threat photographed in lush forest after 'jumping garden fence'
Hundreds of weeds are outperforming native species, creating an environmental disaster.
At first glance you'd probably think the photo above shows a lush, healthy landscape. But the truth is far more sinister.
The picture reveals how severe the problem of weeds has become in some parts of New Zealand. It shows a riverside site near the Kiwi tourist town of Kerikeri swamped by a cornucopia of invasive plants.
"It’s a very weedy site that shows how weeds can completely displace native species. Weeds in the picture include Taiwan cherry, tree privet, arum lily and black-eyed Susan," invasive plant expert Dr Kate McAlpine told Yahoo News.
Over 100 new species have been added to the country's weed list this year — the first update since 2008. The families of plants that incorporate grasses, daisies, legumes and roses make up the majority of the invasive plants. But the list also includes several species from Australia including alpine ash and several wattles.
The list is also littered with dozens of menacing sounding species, including Mexican devil, beggars’ ticks, cat’s claw creeper, foxglove and octopus tree. These plants have been included alongside more familiar names like Scotch thistle and Californian poppy.
You can read the full list of 386 names here, and discover even more colourful names like:
Apple of sodom
Fragrant virgin’s bower
Old man’s beard
Why 'sleeper weeds' are a threat
Weeds included on the Department of Conservation’s list are those that will have significant impacts to natural ecosystems when they become established. It also includes “sleeper” plants that the country’s experts fear could become a problem.
“Sleeper weeds aren’t on the list because they’re not established in the wild, or at least not yet. But these are forecast to become fully invasive, with significant impacts on our native species and ecosystems,” McAlpine, a science adviser at the Department said.
There are more than 25,000 exotic plant species in New Zealand — more than 10 times the number of native species — but of course not all of them have the potential to become weeds. For the first time the list also includes two invasive seaweeds.
Climate change will alter the natural environment, making it possible for new species to become established.
Areas that were once too cold will now become perfect habitat for weeds, and the disturbance created by extreme weather events like flooding will favour highly adaptive invasive species.
Garden plants escaping from yards
In July, the Invasive Species Council warned that in Australia escaped household plants were costing the agriculture industry over $4.3 billion a year to combat. Retailer Bunnings was singled out in a list of nurseries stocking plants deemed “highly invasive”.
The problem of garden variety plants is also impacting New Zealand, with several species of blackberry, apple and cherry on the list.
“Introduced plants have very few barriers to naturalisation in New Zealand, and many are quick to ‘jump the garden fence’ via bird or wind dispersal, or even people dumping their garden waste at the edge of their local bush reserve,” McAlpine said.
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