Using a plant may seem to stretch the definition of creature, but I promised to bring all types of living organisms into the spotlight.
Strawberry Guava,
found naturally in the jungles of Brazil and surrounding areas of South America, produces tart red or sometimes yellow fruit that, to some, has a hint of strawberry.
The fruit is often made into jams and the seeds are often roasted and ground to make a coffee like drink. The leaves are also used in some teas. They are hearty trees that grow up to 6 meters tall. Because of their myriad of uses, their beautiful appearance, and their hearty nature they have become popular as bushes and trees in landscaping. But this isn't a landscaping blog.
Above shows a progression as a native Hawaiian rainforest is enveloped by a grove of Strawberry Guava. Called Waiawi by the native people of Hawaii, Strawberry Guava has been systematically choking their native rainforests since it was introduced in 1825 as a decorative plant. They grow so thick that they completely block the sunlight from reaching the ground leaving nothing but bare earth below. As such they form massive groves, monocultures, throughout Hawaii.
The U.S National forest describes the threat of Strawberry Guava.
Current efforts to stem the growth of Strawberry Guava primarily involves cutting. Cutting, rather than a complete slash and burn approach which would leave the area bare and susceptible to erosion and other non native invasion, involves scoring or well cutting the trunks of the Strawberry Guava tree, typically a couple of feet from the ground. This method weakens the trees making it easier for native plants to reclaim the land. Unfortunately it also requires a great deal of manpower and has done little to halt the expansion.
Among the more extreme methods for controlling any invasive species is to introduce a natural predator to the system. Early attempts at this often just made the problem worse. Not only was the first invasive species still a problem, but the predators expanded their diet to include other native species, and competed with their natural predators. Take for example the case of a weevil introduced to control thistles, as told by Biologists Daniel Simberloff (Department of Biological Science, Florida State University) and Peter Stiling (Department of Biology, University of South Florida) back in 1996.
The U.S. National Forest Service however believes they have found a biological control that will help naturalize the Strawberry Guava with little risk to native species. Meet the Brazilian Scale
or rather the effects of the Brazilian scale on a Strawberry Guava bush. This scale (a small parasitic insect) only infects two species of plants in it's native home in Brazil, one being Strawberry Guava. They are highly specialized parasites that would likely pose little risk of adopting a native species as a host. Among the more ridiculous concerns I have heard about introducing this scale is it could damage Strawberry Guava plants that are still very popular as a landscaping bush.
Strawberry Guava groves have also been found in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Although not as extreme, they tend to choke those wetlands too.
Personal note. I went on vacation to Hawaii some years ago, while I was there I mostly just went hiking and camping. While hiking one day I stumbled upon one of these groves. The scenery went from lush and vibrant, full of a diverse range of plants and animals to something I can only describe as barren. The unintended consequences of man's actions can be devastating. If we are to be stewards of the planet Earth we must learn this lesson, else we will continue on this destructive path until we bring about our own extinction.
This is a relatively short one, but I have been busy. If you have any questions please ask. Suggestions for other creatures are also welcome.
For a bit more reading
a general critique on the use of biological control
http://www.biol.wwu.edu/peterson/Risks%20of%20Biocontrol.pdf
U.S. National Forest Service
http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/topics/invasives/strawberryguava/strawberry_guava.shtml#anchor.2
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psidium_cattleianum
Previous Spotlight
Creature Spotlight #1: Baiji, the Yangtze River Dolphin
Strawberry Guava,
found naturally in the jungles of Brazil and surrounding areas of South America, produces tart red or sometimes yellow fruit that, to some, has a hint of strawberry.
The fruit is often made into jams and the seeds are often roasted and ground to make a coffee like drink. The leaves are also used in some teas. They are hearty trees that grow up to 6 meters tall. Because of their myriad of uses, their beautiful appearance, and their hearty nature they have become popular as bushes and trees in landscaping. But this isn't a landscaping blog.
Above shows a progression as a native Hawaiian rainforest is enveloped by a grove of Strawberry Guava. Called Waiawi by the native people of Hawaii, Strawberry Guava has been systematically choking their native rainforests since it was introduced in 1825 as a decorative plant. They grow so thick that they completely block the sunlight from reaching the ground leaving nothing but bare earth below. As such they form massive groves, monocultures, throughout Hawaii.
The U.S National forest describes the threat of Strawberry Guava.
Current efforts to stem the growth of Strawberry Guava primarily involves cutting. Cutting, rather than a complete slash and burn approach which would leave the area bare and susceptible to erosion and other non native invasion, involves scoring or well cutting the trunks of the Strawberry Guava tree, typically a couple of feet from the ground. This method weakens the trees making it easier for native plants to reclaim the land. Unfortunately it also requires a great deal of manpower and has done little to halt the expansion.
Among the more extreme methods for controlling any invasive species is to introduce a natural predator to the system. Early attempts at this often just made the problem worse. Not only was the first invasive species still a problem, but the predators expanded their diet to include other native species, and competed with their natural predators. Take for example the case of a weevil introduced to control thistles, as told by Biologists Daniel Simberloff (Department of Biological Science, Florida State University) and Peter Stiling (Department of Biology, University of South Florida) back in 1996.
The U.S. National Forest Service however believes they have found a biological control that will help naturalize the Strawberry Guava with little risk to native species. Meet the Brazilian Scale
or rather the effects of the Brazilian scale on a Strawberry Guava bush. This scale (a small parasitic insect) only infects two species of plants in it's native home in Brazil, one being Strawberry Guava. They are highly specialized parasites that would likely pose little risk of adopting a native species as a host. Among the more ridiculous concerns I have heard about introducing this scale is it could damage Strawberry Guava plants that are still very popular as a landscaping bush.
Strawberry Guava groves have also been found in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Although not as extreme, they tend to choke those wetlands too.
Personal note. I went on vacation to Hawaii some years ago, while I was there I mostly just went hiking and camping. While hiking one day I stumbled upon one of these groves. The scenery went from lush and vibrant, full of a diverse range of plants and animals to something I can only describe as barren. The unintended consequences of man's actions can be devastating. If we are to be stewards of the planet Earth we must learn this lesson, else we will continue on this destructive path until we bring about our own extinction.
This is a relatively short one, but I have been busy. If you have any questions please ask. Suggestions for other creatures are also welcome.
For a bit more reading
a general critique on the use of biological control
http://www.biol.wwu.edu/peterson/Risks%20of%20Biocontrol.pdf
U.S. National Forest Service
http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/topics/invasives/strawberryguava/strawberry_guava.shtml#anchor.2
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psidium_cattleianum
Previous Spotlight
Creature Spotlight #1: Baiji, the Yangtze River Dolphin
