Global warming: Invasive grasses to thrive in warmer world

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Global warming will put native grasses at a disadvantage to invasive species.

Consequences include loss of native species, greater wildfire risks

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — The warmer and drier conditions predicted across the West by most climate change models will help invasive grasses replace native vegetation. The exotics are better equipped to deal with warmer weather. Some of them harbor animals that attack endangered species, while others make lands more susceptible to wildfires.

Two researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, catalogued the ranges of all 258 native grasses and 177 exotic grasses in the state and estimated how climate change – in particular, increased temperature and decreased rainfall – would change them. They concluded that many of the traits that now make exotic grasses more successful than many natives also would allow them to adapt better to increased temperature and likely expand their ranges.

“When we looked at current patterns, we found that warmer temperatures favor certain traits, and these are the traits possessed by exotic species,” said coauthor Emily Dangremond, a graduate student in the UC Berkeley Department of Integrative Biology. “This led us to predict that, if the mean temperature increases in all zones in California, there is an increased likelihood of finding exotic species, and an increase in the proportion of species in a zone that are exotic.” (more…)

Filed under: biodiversity, climate and weather, Colorado, Environment, global warming, Summit County Colorado, Summit County news | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Environment: Pull some weeds this weekend!

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

Yellow toadflax is a pretty, but unwanted, invasive species in Colorado.

Invasive plants eating away at valuable native habitat

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — It’s not too late to put on your gardening gloves and join with band of volunteers to try and slow the spread of invasive plants that’s harming native habitat in Colorado.

This Saturday (July 9), hundreds of Coloradans will join forces for the annual Pulling for Colorado event, including here in Summit County, where volunteers will meet at the Community and Senior Center at 8 a.m. to learn about noxious weeds and then head out on a search and destroy mission. For more information contact John Taylor at 970-409-8867.

“Noxious weeds threaten our quality of life; they impact agriculture, water quality, recreational opportunities, and wildlife,” said Colorado State Weed Coordinator Steve Ryder. “We are working hard to eradicate, control, and minimize weed infestations across Colorado.”

Noxious weeds have invaded over one million acres of Colorado land and continue to spread across western federal lands at a rate of 4,600 acres every day. This infestation of weeds is costing Colorado landowners roughly $100 million a year.  If left untreated, some noxious weeds can lead to an increased number of human health risks and fires. (more…)

Filed under: agriculture, biodiversity, Colorado, Environment, plants and flowers, Summit County news | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Invasive grasses threatening native western ecosystems

Posted on August 24, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

Non-native buffelgrass is so flammable it can burn even at the peak of he growing season.

Non-native grasses could fuel destructive wildfires and threaten rare plants and animals

SUMMIT COUNTY — Fires burning in highly combustible non-native plants and grasses could wipe out age-old trees and the habitat of several endangered species of wildlife, many unique to the National Conservation Lands of the Southwest and southern California.  (more…)

Filed under: biodiversity, Environment, Summit County Colorado | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Feds nix bugs for tamarisk control on Colorado River

Posted on June 20, 2010 by Bob Berwyn

A nest of southwestern willow flycatchers nesting in saltcedar. PHOTO COURTESY U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

Impacts to endangered birds at issue; latest studies show the non-native plants don’t use as much water as previously believed

SUMMIT COUNTY — Land managers looking for ways to control invasive tamarisk trees in the Colorado River Basin may have to search for a new tool.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has terminated the use of a non-native insect used to destroy tamarisk after concluding that the bug was destroying critical habitat used by the southwestern willow flycatcher, listed as endangered by the federal government. The decision, announced in a June 15 memo, affects biological control efforts in 13 states.

Tamarisk, also called saltcellar, is native to the Mediterranean and central Asian region. It was brought to the U.S. to be used as a windbreak and for ornamental purposes. It quickly spread across at least 1.5 million acres in the arid climate and alkaline soils of the Southwest. In an ironic twist, the endangered flycatcher has taken to nesting in tamarisk.

In the past 10 years, various public agencies launched a costly and labor-intensive effort to prevent the stubborn shrub from spreading farther, and to eradicate it in areas where it’s already established. Initial estimates of tamarisk water use were alarming, which created a sense of urgency.  (more…)

Filed under: endangered species, Environment, rivers, Summit County Colorado | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 5,587 other followers