• We have updated the guidelines regarding posting political content: please see the stickied thread on Website Issues.

Invasive Species

Invasive grasses contribute to conflagration.

After a catastrophic wildfire that killed more than 100 people in Hawaii, eyes have turned toward an unexpected culprit: invasive grass species that have spread massively over the archipelago for decades, serving as the perfect fuel.

Drought-resistant, capable of invading difficult terrain, and gradually muscling out local species, they are also a growing threat in the western United States, where devastating fires are increasing.

"Invasive grasses are very ignitable. They change the landscape," Carla D'Antonio, a professor of ecology at the University of California, Santa Barbara told AFP.

"They make conditions that are more conducive to more fire, and all of a sudden, we just have a lot more fire."

Rather than decomposing when they die, they stay "standing there for a long time, dry as a bone," said D'Antonio, who has been studying these species for more than 30 years. They're also hardy, surviving fires better than native species and gradually replacing them.

Most of these grasses—buffelgrass, Guinea grass, molasses grass—came from Africa, and were introduced as pasture for cattle, without knowing the danger they would come to represent decades later.

https://phys.org/news/2023-08-invasive-firestarter-non-native-grasses-hawaii.html
 
Invasive grasses contribute to conflagration.

After a catastrophic wildfire that killed more than 100 people in Hawaii, eyes have turned toward an unexpected culprit: invasive grass species that have spread massively over the archipelago for decades, serving as the perfect fuel.

Drought-resistant, capable of invading difficult terrain, and gradually muscling out local species, they are also a growing threat in the western United States, where devastating fires are increasing.

"Invasive grasses are very ignitable. They change the landscape," Carla D'Antonio, a professor of ecology at the University of California, Santa Barbara told AFP.

"They make conditions that are more conducive to more fire, and all of a sudden, we just have a lot more fire."

Rather than decomposing when they die, they stay "standing there for a long time, dry as a bone," said D'Antonio, who has been studying these species for more than 30 years. They're also hardy, surviving fires better than native species and gradually replacing them.

Most of these grasses—buffelgrass, Guinea grass, molasses grass—came from Africa, and were introduced as pasture for cattle, without knowing the danger they would come to represent decades later.

https://phys.org/news/2023-08-invasive-firestarter-non-native-grasses-hawaii.html
The local authorities hadn't bothered clearing away the grass that was under some power lines. The power lines broke and set a fire going in the grass.
To compound the issue, the local council has begun buying up the land from homeowners who were affected. It's a land-grab.
 
To compound the issue, the local council has begun buying up the land from homeowners who were affected. It's a land-grab.

Do you really think that tjhe county council were behind the fires? causing maybe a thousand deaths as part of a land grab?

On the rest of the article at the link it's outlined how large tracts of land are abandoned - former plantations. It would be far easier for the council to get its hands on this land.
 
Do you really think that tjhe county council were behind the fires? causing maybe a thousand deaths as part of a land grab?
Probably not a deliberate plan to cause fires, but certainly taking advantage of the situation.
 
Do you really think that tjhe county council were behind the fires? causing maybe a thousand deaths as part of a land grab?

On the rest of the article at the link it's outlined how large tracts of land are abandoned - former plantations. It would be far easier for the council to get its hands on this land.
I just read an article about how the conspiracy mongers are spreading misinformation and conspiracies, including the "land grab" conspiracy when wildfires are being reported.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/maui-wildfire-conspiracy-theories-1.6937745
 
Probably not a deliberate plan to cause fires, but certainly taking advantage of the situation.

Do you have a link about the council forcing people to sell the ruins of their home? I can only find Hawaii governor warning against land grabs.

Hawaii governor Josh Green has vowed “to keep the land in local people’s hands” after a deadly wildfire that incinerated a historic Maui community, as the island’s schools began reopening and traffic resumed on a major road.

Mr Green said that he had instructed the state attorney general to work toward a moratorium on land transactions in Lahaina, which he acknowledged will come with legal challenges.

Mr Green said: “My intention from start to finish is to make sure that no one is victimised from a land grab.

https://www.breakingnews.ie/world/h...bs-as-fire-ravaged-maui-rebuilds-1515941.html
 
Do you have a link about the council forcing people to sell the ruins of their home? I can only find Hawaii governor warning against land grabs.
No, but I expect something will surface on the web eventually.
I can't find the video where I saw how the fire started, sorry.
 
This discussion involving Hawaii wildfires may have to be hived off into a new thread.

There is some truth in that the people of Hawaii are very concerned that developers and corporations will swoop in to "rebuild" the devastated areas and subsequently take the land owned by native Hawaiians as discussed in this podcast:


As well as this article:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/maui-lahaina-fire-indigenous-1.6939560
 
Support your indigenous ants.

New research using insight from virtual gaming and real-world ant battles shows how native insects can be given an upper hand against some aggressive introduced species, which could help guide non-native invasive ant management.

Dr. Samuel Lymbery, who undertook this work as a Forrest Prospect Fellow with The University of Western Australia and CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, used mathematical models on video game simulations, garnered from Age of Empires II, to illustrate how battlefield dynamics change warfare outcomes.

These concepts were then confirmed in the real-world by observing ant battles between Australian meat ants, a native species, and smaller Argentine ants, a notorious pest.

"What we found from virtual gaming and then real-life ant battles was that mortality in the small armies of Australian meat ants facing off with large armies of non-native Argentine ants was lower in complex arenas and higher in simple arenas," Dr. Lymbery said.

"So, just like for humans, and in computer games, the outcome of ant-wars depends on the nature of the battlefield."

Dr. Raphael Didham, Professor of Ecology in the School of Animal Biology at The University of Western Australia and CSIRO scientist, said social insects such as ants were one of the few species to engage in warfare on the same scale as humans.

https://phys.org/news/2023-08-ant-wars-native-species-invasive.html
 

Scientists warn invasive pests are taking a staggering toll on society


Invasive pests are wreaking havoc across the planet, destroying crops, disseminating pathogens, depleting fish people rely on for food and driving native plants and animals toward extinction, according to a major report backed by the United Nations.

The landmark assessment found more than 3,500 harmful invasive species cost society more than $423 billion a year, a tally only expected to grow as the modern age of global trade and travel continues to supercharge the spread of plants and animals across continents like never before.

By hitching a ride on cargo ships and passenger jets, exotic species are bridging oceans, mountain ranges and other geographic divides otherwise insurmountable without human help. The result is a great scrambling of the planet’s flora and fauna, with dire implications for humans and the ecosystems they depend on.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/tech...king-a-staggering-toll-on-society/ar-AA1gdunT

maximus otter
 
I glanced through a short item on Yahoo! News, concerning a study made by a respected scientist who has asserted Japanese Knotweed wasn't being as damaging as generally asserted.
Can't find it now ... :thought:
 
Wow, quite surprised at that.
I know a ground works/agricultural contractor who is certified in its removal and he tells horor stories that make it sound almost sentient and beligerant.
 
Wow, quite surprised at that.
I know a ground works/agricultural contractor who is certified in its removal and he tells horor stories that make it sound almost sentient and beligerant.
Perhaps the previous tests were based on the effect on the cement used in British schools. :)
 
I know a ground works/agricultural contractor [...] and he tells horor stories that make it sound almost sentient and beligerant.
I wonder why?
I mean, you have to listen to those experienced in *ahem* the field, but you also have to consider how that 'wisdom' is imparted.
"Oh, you don't want THAT in your garden! It kills pets an' babies! I've heard it can break into your house and steal your TV. It just so happens that I've a mate who gat get rid of it for you!"
Though. in the case of knotweed, the 'threat' has been 'known of' for ages ... without actually questioning.
 
I think that Japanese knotweed is invasive to native plants. It will take over a garden and leaves no room for anything else to grow.

Can't imagine why the article focuses on damage to buildings. ASFAIK, it is a ground cover and low growing, unless there are two different plants with the name, which is possible.

Oops. No it is goutweed that I am referring to:
https://www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/invasive-plants/species/goutweed/
 
Last edited:
Japanese knotweed might be an invasive, non-native plant, but it's always been held the top menace for structural damage.
The article concentrates on this damage because it's calling into question how bad it is really. The point is worth looking at because of the industry surrounding it's removal, the compensation being paid by those who let it grow/don't dispose of it by certified experts, the mortgage companies who refuse because of it's presence etc. etc.
There's no denying how invasive it can be, but what is the real extent of the damage it causes, in comparison to others, for instance buddleia or even bramble? Is it in the interests of certain firms to exaggerate it's effect?
It will take over a garden and leaves no room for anything else to grow.
As does ivy, nettles, and brambles.
 
Japanese knotweed might be an invasive, non-native plant, but it's always been held the top menace for structural damage.
The article concentrates on this damage because it's calling into question how bad it is really. The point is worth looking at because of the industry surrounding it's removal, the compensation being paid by those who let it grow/don't dispose of it by certified experts, the mortgage companies who refuse because of it's presence etc. etc.
There's no denying how invasive it can be, but what is the real extent of the damage it causes, in comparison to others, for instance buddleia or even bramble? Is it in the interests of certain firms to exaggerate it's effect?

As does ivy, nettles, and brambles.

- And effing rhododendrons.

maximus otter
 
Sicily landings to be followed by invasion of mainland Italy.

Red fire ants have marched one by one into Sicily – the first official sighting of the invasive species in Europe.

If these notorious swarming insects, originally from South America, continue to spread like they have elsewhere, experts worry they could claim the whole continent.

Today, imported red fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) are the fifth costliest invasive species in the world, causing billions of dollars of environmental damage in numerous nations.

True to their name, the species delivers a burning venomous sting, and because these insects run in packs numbering upwards of half a million individuals, they can easily attack and overwhelm prey many times larger than themselves.

As colonies spread, they engulf plants and animals alike, invading and clearing land of precious wildlife.

In Australia, the invasive species is on the brink of surpassing the environmental damage caused by feral cats, wild dogs, foxes, camels, rabbits, and cane toads combined.

https://www.sciencealert.com/invasive-red-fire-ants-have-now-spread-to-europe-scientists-warn
 
Cull seagulls not stoats!

A project to eradicate stoats from Orkney could take another five years and cost a further £8m to complete, it has been claimed.

The Orkney Native Wildlife Project began trapping the animals in 2019 and has so far removed more than 5,000. The animals are said to pose a major threat to breeding seabirds as well as the native Orkney vole. Project organisers said the task was always going to be difficult but it was setback by Covid pandemic restrictions.

Stoats are common in parts of mainland Scotland but they only started appearing in Orkney in 2010.

Organisers claim their plans are the biggest invasive predator eradication on an inhabited island, anywhere in the world, with about 7,000 traps laid around the mainland and the coastline of the neighbouring islands. The project has already cost about £8m but those behind it claim the same amount will be required to finish the job, with three years of eradication and two years of further monitoring.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-66889194
 
Shocking news.

Rising numbers of woodpeckers, new to this country over the past 20 years, are proving a big headache and an increasing cost for the State’s electricity network operator.

Relentless pecking at ESB poles by the great spotted woodpecker – becoming increasingly spotted in the country, across Leinster and as far afield as Kerry and Mayo – has emerged as a problem in parts of the ESB network, particularly in the southeast.

Woodpecker-damaged electricity poles have even led to power outages as ESB crews work to repair the damage caused by the “drumming” by the hard-beaked bird.

ESB Networks confirmed that “performance issues” can occur in parts of the network from time to time as a result of birdlife damage to electricity poles.

https://www.irishtimes.com/environm...rews-race-to-repair-damaged-electricity-poles
 
Fire ants take to the water. Vid at link.

Fire ants are forming rafts to travel on flood waters across storm-ravaged Australia, aiding the spread of one of the world's most invasive species.

Considered a super pest, fire ants can cause major ecosystem changes and agricultural loss by feeding on native plants and animals.

Their stings can also kill people.

The Invasive Species Council (ISC) says the unusual rafting behaviour is evidence that "fire ant densities are increasing" in Australia.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-68002401
 
Japanese knotweed might be an invasive, non-native plant, but it's always been held the top menace for structural damage.
The article concentrates on this damage because it's calling into question how bad it is really. The point is worth looking at because of the industry surrounding it's removal, the compensation being paid by those who let it grow/don't dispose of it by certified experts, the mortgage companies who refuse because of it's presence etc. etc.
There's no denying how invasive it can be, but what is the real extent of the damage it causes, in comparison to others, for instance buddleia or even bramble? Is it in the interests of certain firms to exaggerate it's effect?

As does ivy, nettles, and brambles.
Where there's a perceived problem a lucrative industry will grow up along side it in order to keep the gravy train running horror stories are seeded around, sometimes they will try to get a new gravy train running a new pest or invasive plant I've seen it time and time again the Knotweed industry is a prime example
 
This story has legs.

A rare, venomous centipede has been discovered in Nottinghamshire for the first time.

Scutigera coleoptrata, commonly known as the House Centipede, was found at the home of University of Leicester academic Dr Richard Jones. Dr Jones, who lives in Upton, near Newark-on-Trent, spotted the bug in his downstairs bathroom.

Their bite is non-fatal to humans and is described as akin to a bee sting, the University of Leicester said.

Since the discovery on 11 January, Dr Jones has had the centipede formally identified by the British Myriapod and Isopod Group, reported to Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and added to the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology's national database.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-68055122
 
This story has legs.

A rare, venomous centipede has been discovered in Nottinghamshire for the first time.

Scutigera coleoptrata, commonly known as the House Centipede, was found at the home of University of Leicester academic Dr Richard Jones. Dr Jones, who lives in Upton, near Newark-on-Trent, spotted the bug in his downstairs bathroom.

Their bite is non-fatal to humans and is described as akin to a bee sting, the University of Leicester said.

Since the discovery on 11 January, Dr Jones has had the centipede formally identified by the British Myriapod and Isopod Group, reported to Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and added to the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology's national database.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-68055122
We have these. They like damp dark places.
 
Another wayward-ant-creating-eco-havoc situation:

Invasive ant causes chain-reaction, sparing zebras from lions in Kenya​

https://newatlas.com/science/ant-zebras-lions-africa/
"Sometime around the turn of the last century, an invasive ant species known as Pheidole megacephala, believed to come from the island of Mauritius, began to establish itself in earnest at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. These big-headed ants, as they are more commonly known, started to set up shop in the local whistling-thorn trees, where they kicked out the local native acacia ant population."

Because the acacia ant protects trees from hungry elephants, their reduced numbers lead to fewer trees, which means less cover for lions stalking the zebras. Ergo, fewer zebra dinners for lions.
The lions, however, are adapting new strategies . . .
 
Another wayward-ant-creating-eco-havoc situation:

Invasive ant causes chain-reaction, sparing zebras from lions in Kenya​

https://newatlas.com/science/ant-zebras-lions-africa/
"Sometime around the turn of the last century, an invasive ant species known as Pheidole megacephala, believed to come from the island of Mauritius, began to establish itself in earnest at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. These big-headed ants, as they are more commonly known, started to set up shop in the local whistling-thorn trees, where they kicked out the local native acacia ant population."

Because the acacia ant protects trees from hungry elephants, their reduced numbers lead to fewer trees, which means less cover for lions stalking the zebras. Ergo, fewer zebra dinners for lions.
The lions, however, are adapting new strategies . . .

Big-headed ants in whistling-thorn trees?

giphy.gif


maximus otter
 
Back
Top