Hdgi Invasive Spp 2 8 10

Invasive Species 101:Primer for Green Industry Professionals

Robert Emanuel, Ph.D.Water Resources and Community Development Faculty,

Tillamook and Clatsop counties

Introduction

What are invasive species?

Why should we care?

Biology & management

Some invaders to watch

What can professionals do?

Resources for more information.

Invasive species means an alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.

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Invasive species are a serious issue—but what are they? Here’s the federal government definition of IS. Here are some examples of the types of harm they create: Hypoxia killed this fish because the water weed—Hydrilla verticulata, produced extra biomass-that biomass was consumed by bacteria and other organisms in the water column, all the while those organisms consumed the free oxygen that kept the fish alive. These tiny NZ mudsnails reproduce so quickly that they can cover most of the benthic (bottom) habitat in a stream, hence outcompeting any of the normal invertebrates that fish consume—and the snails are largely useless to the fish themselves. They can move around by fishing tackle, boots, boats, trailers, bait buckets, etc. Yellow star thistle here is consuming intermountain west rangelands faster than any other single weed (next to cheat grass). The plants provide no nutrition and in fact, are toxic to some livestock. 160,000 acres have been consumed in E. Oregon, while CA is dealing with over 10 million acres of infestation! The nutria pictured here is eating the wetlands of Louisiana out of existence, contributing to the loss of a football field a day of wetlands in that state. When hurricanes come, they cause more damage because they cross more open water before hitting cities like NOLA with greater force. These zebra mussels and their cousins quagas should scare the daylights out of Oregon’s electricity rate payers because if they get to the hydropower dams on the Columbia, they will cost us 25 million a year in control costs alone. Moreover, the move with every boat that goes into the river and will lead to fouling of everything below the surface. They could lead to complete collapse of the salmon fisheries on the PNW if they become widespread. They have already infested some waters in California , Arizona, and Nevada, leading many to fear they will make it here soon.

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Invaders get here by many means including: 1. Ballast and packaging in container ships 2. In baggage of travelers 3. Via crops and seed in agriculture 4. Through the pet trade

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Gardeners are responsible too—as many as 50-80% of all invaders are horticultural in origin.

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Nurseries and professional growers too can help spread invaders. The longer an exotic is in “the trade” the more likely it will become invasive somewhere.

Biological invaders destroy habitats or out‐compete native plants and

animals.

At least 30 new potential biological invaders enter the US every day…

Invasive species costs Americans about $143 billion/year!

Why should we care?

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We are at the early stages of recognizing this issue—much like the early 1970s when these successful ad campaigns got the public thinking about pollution and litter as problems. We don’t yet have a similar campaign to capture the hearts and heads of the public. Part of the problem is that plants and other organisms are not something people think about during day-to-day activities. Instead, most see only recognize the existence of a tree, a grass, or a bug. Our job is to help educate people and spread this awareness deeper into the public.

Understanding Biological Invasions

“Invasive”

Definitions: Invasive Plants

Exotics(non‐native)Lots of beneficial species: Crops, pasture, forestry & ornamentals.

“Noxious”A regulatory designation.

“Weed”A plant growing where you do not want it.

Spreads outside of cultivation, and causes environmental& economic harm.

NativesCo‐evolution with other species, our natural heritage

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Weedy terms are used interchangeably, resulting in this problem. Euler diagrams Not all non-native plants are considered harmful or invasive. Of the 4,000 species of exotic plants that have become established as free-living populations in the United States, roughly 10 percent have been identified as a threat to our native flora and fauna as a result of their invasive characteristics (Kastalerz, NCBG). Many non-invasive alien plants are important to the agricultural economy including apples, corn, soybeans, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes. Volunteers may reseed from these important crops but they do not "crowd out and smother" populations of native plants. In addition, North American native plants can be considered invasive. For example, black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia, is native to the southeast but was planted for fence posts across the U.S. Outside it's native range, black locust is considered an exotic and in some places it is considered invasive because of its rapid growth and reproduction.

What makes a plant invasive?

Lack normal environmental constraints

Fast growth and reproduction

Highly adaptable a wide range of conditions

Often can transform their environment

Promoted by new or existing disturbances

Less biodiversity in the native ecosystem

Sometimes work with other invasive species

Key Stages in Plant InvasionsArea Infested

Time

Lag Time

Escape

IntroductionInvasion

Cost

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The biological invasive process is fairly straight forward. Unfortunately, we often forget that the process is best stopped at the introduction and escape phases, while most of us notice the invasion when it’s “out of the box” on the upper part of the curve. At that point, things cost much more and harm is already multiplied.

What does this mean for management?Area Infested

Prevention or Eradication(Inexpensive)

Local control and management only

(Expensive)

Control Costs

Time

Introduction

Detection: focus resources here

People notice them here

The Wildfire Model

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Wildfires are good models for invasions. They travel by means of conditions (good fuel, heat, oxygen), can be stopped small and only contained when they get big. They also jump around the same way as a fire moves by sparks and embers. Fires can start and “sleep” for periods of time then awaken and become conflagrations quickly.

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An ironic example is bromus tectorum, or cheat grass, which uses animal and human vectors to move very quickly and—the irony is that it is a fire-prone species itself—therefore adding or enhancing fire where it establishes itself in large infestations.

How do we manage invasive plants?

Prevention

Quarantine before introduction

Monitoring & mapping

Chemical treatment (herbicides)

Biological controls (biocontrol)

Cultural treatment (hand pulling, cutting, etc.)

*

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The noted bullets are places where professionals and gardeners both have an influence.

Some Invasive Species

High Desert Oregon & Environs

Flowering Rush: Butomus umbellatus

Photo – butterfly bush infestation in Lane Co.

Butterfly Bush: Buddleja davidii

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Butterfly bush flowers provide nectar for adult butterflies, as do many other flowers as well. The food necessary for a butterfly’s larvae, however, is usually only one species or a few related plant species. Some native butterfly species depend on willows for their larval food, one of the plants crowded out of its streamside habitat by butterfly bush. Photo: Brad Withrow-Robinson

Photo ‐ butterfly bush infestation in Lane Co.

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) Photo: OSU

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This butterfly bush infestation is along the Salmon River in Lane County. Butterfly bush produces abundant seeds that are easily spread by water, and it thrives on sites with regular disturbance. It grows well in infertile soils; it tolerates summer drought and winter flooding. Photo: Brad Withrow-Robinson

Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii and B. variants)

Purple Loosestrife: Lythrum salicaria

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

Garden Loosestrife: Lysimarchia vulgaris

Photos: King County , WA

Desert Indigobush: Amorpha fruticosa

Photo ‐ knotweed

Japanese Knotweed: Fallopia cuspidatum

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3) Himalayan knotweed (Polygonum polystachyum) Photo: Chip Bubl

Glenn Miller, ODAGiant Knotweed: Fallopia sachalinese

Photo ‐ knotweed

Knotweed: Fallopia x bohemicum

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3) Bohemian knotweed is a hybrid of Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) and giant knotweed (Polygonum sachalinense). Photo: Sasha Shaw

Japanese knotweed (Fallopia cuspidatum) & giant knotweed (Fallopia sachalinense)

Yellow Flag Iris: Iris pseudacorusPhoto: OSU

Yellow flag iris (Iris psuedacoris)

Photo: Paul Wray, Iow

a State University

Russian Olive: Elaeagnus angustifolia

Tree of Heaven: Ailanthus altissima Photo: USFS

Jan Samanek, State Phytosanitary Administration, Czenia

Tamarix ramosissima

Tamarix parviflora Leslie Gulch, OR, 2007

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Caption salt cedar, tamarisk (Tamarix parviflora) �Location Leslie Gulch, OR�Date May 12, 2007�Credit Clinton Shock�Species Tamarix parviflora

T. parviflorainvading the Lower Owyhee River, OR, 2007

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Caption salt cedar, tamarisk (Tamarix parviflora) �Location Lower Owyhee River, OR�Date May 24, 2007�Credit Clinton Shock�Species Tamarix parviflora

Mediterranean sage: Salvia aethiopis

Eric Coombs, O

DA

Eric Coombs, O

DA

Eric Coombs, ODA

Mediterranean Sage (Salvia aethiopis )

Clary Sage: Salvia sclarea

Patterson’s Curse: Echium plantagineum

Patterson’s Curse (Echium plantagineum)

Leafy Spurge: Euphorbia esula

Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula)

Myrtle spurge: Euphorbia myrsintes

BS ThurnerHof

BS Thurner Hof

Myrtle spurge (Euphobia myrsintes)

Yellow Star Thistle: Centaurea solistialis

Yellow Star Thistle (Centaurea solistialis)

Wendy VanDyk Evans, Bugwood,org

Yellow Toadflax: Linaria vulgaris

Dave Pow

ell, USFS

John Cardina, Ohio State University, Bugwood,org

Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood,org

Elizabeth Bella, USFS

Dalmatian toadflax: Linaria dalmatica

Orange Hawkweed: Hieracium aurantiacumMichael Shephard, USDA Forest Service

Orange Hawkweed: Hieracium aurantiacum

Orange Hawkweed: Hieracium aurantiacum

Michael Shephard, U

SDA Forest Service

Orange Hawkweed (Hieracium aurantiacum)

Spanish Broom: Spartium junceumPhotos: Michael L. Charters

Scotch Broom: Cytisus scoparius

French Broom: Genista monspessulana

But wait! There’s MORE!

Herb Robert: Geranium robertianum

Photo: University of G

eorgia

Fennel: Foeniculum vulgare

Photo: JohnathanJ. Stegem

an

Bachelor’s button: Centaurea cyanus

Camelthorn: Alhagi maurorum Richard Old

Only you can prevent the invasion!

What can Green Industry Professionals Do?

Know the enemy & teach others about them

Research new stock before you order it

Grow, sell or design for native & non‐invasive plants wherever possible

Help the public with information on treatment

What can Green Industry Professionals Do?

Get involved in landscape management ordinances where appropriate

Get involved in weed management boards

Help support local weed identification and education efforts

Help support research focused on invasives, control and alternatives

What can industry professionals do?

Watch for hitchhikers in nursery stock

Use weed‐free soil and mulch

Watch introductions for aggressive behavior

Discourage use of commercial wildflower or other mixes.

Check clothes, vehicles, equipment, & pets

Commercial Wildflower or Plant Border Mixes (AKA “Meadow in a Can”)

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UW studied established that upwards of 98% of all commercial wildflower mixes had some invasives in them. Border mixes too had problematic plants. No mixes were entirely clean. Best to just avoid them altogether!

If you have a known invasive (but a client can’t part with it)

Deadhead faithfully

Use root barriers

Dispose of plant material properly—bagged in the garbage or burned (completely)

Contain it, control it, or cage it!

For Water Gardens

Always wash new introductions (think snails)

Keep water gardens separate from native waters

Never dump water garden materials or water into native waters

Research plants for invasive potential—many commonly used aquatics are!

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Water gardens are particularly problematic—as the plants and organisms in them are almost impossible to control once they are released into the environment. Treat them with care.

Some Resources

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Use the PLANTS database to assess a plants invasiveness.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/noxiousDriver

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One resource for

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This is an excellent resource for anyone in the business of growing plants.

Invasive Spp. Web ResourcesAll of this information located at: bit.ly/is4gipOregon Invasive Species Councilwww.oregon.gov/OISC/Oregon Invasive Species Hotline:oregoninvasiveshotline.org/National Invasive Species Clearinghouse: www.invasivespeciesinfo.govUSDA PLANTS Database: plants.usda.gov/index.htmlWA State Noxious Weed Board: www.nwcb.wa.gov/index.htmIdaho Weed Awareness:idahoweedawareness.net/index.htmlCalifornia Invasive Plant Council:www.cal‐ipc.org Be Plantwise:www.beplantwise.org/

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The top link leads to the rest—and I’ve handed out a sheet with that information on it.

People and Organizations

Brooke Gray Eastern Oregon EDRR Coordinator, Weed Educator: 541‐447‐6228

Dan Sherwin, Deschutes County Vegetation Manager, [email protected] ,

541‐322‐7135

Local Soil and Water Conservation Districts

OSU Extension Service offices in each county

mailto:[email protected]

Questions?

Robert M. Emanuel, Ph.D.

Water Resources & Community Development

Tillamook & Clatsop counties

2204 Fourth Street

Tillamook, OR 97141

(503) 842‐5708 X 2

[email protected]

blogs.oregonstate.edu/h2onc

Hdgi Invasive Spp 2 8 10

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