What are alien invader plants?
Invasive alien plant species (IAP) are species whose introduction and/or spread outside their natural distribution threaten biological diversity. They are non-native to an ecosystem, and may cause economic or environmental harm.
How do I get rid of alien plants?
You can slash a young Black Wattle and then spray a registered herbicide onto the stump Slash the plant or tree with an axe or slasher Cut the bark from a tree stump Remove a 30-40cm strip of bark around a tree trunk.
How are alien plants spread?
Invasive species are primarily spread by human activities, often unintentionally. People, and the goods we use, travel around the world very quickly, and they often carry uninvited species with them. Ships can carry aquatic organisms in their ballast water, while smaller boats may carry them on their propellers.
How alien plant invasions contribute to the loss of biodiversity?
The increased biomass that accompanies plant invasions also results in more intense fires that damage the vegetation and soil and lead to excessive erosion; in addition, invasive alien plants reduce the capacity of rangelands to support livestock and wildlife, and significantly reduce biodiversity (Richardson and Van …
Why must alien plants be controlled?
Overall, the management of invasive alien plants in South Africa is of utmost importance as it can increase runoff, improve water quality, minimize fire risk and prevent the extinction of our indigenous vegetation.
What are alien plants?
Alien vegetation refers to plants that are not native in a country and have been brought into a country from another. The Department of Environmental Affairs in South Africa describes invading alien plants as the biggest threat to plant and animal biodiversity.
How do you control alien invasive plants?
Mechanical control methods involve the physical destruction or total removal of plants (e.g. felling, strip-barking; ring-barking, hand-pulling and mowing); chemical control of invasive alien plants include the foliar spraying of herbicides to kill targeted plants and biological control or biocontrol methods involves …
Why invasive plants are bad?
Habitat loss and invasive plants are the leading cause of native biodiversity loss. Invasive plant species spread quickly and can displace native plants, prevent native plant growth, and create monocultures. Invasive plants cause biological pollution by reducing plant species diversity.
Why are alien plants a problem?
Invasive plant species have an impact on the diversity of local species, they affect water availability and damage the quality of soil nutrients. Once an alien plant has invaded a habitat, it changes the conditions of that environment.
What effect can invading plant species have on an environment?
Invasive species are capable of causing extinctions of native plants and animals, reducing biodiversity, competing with native organisms for limited resources, and altering habitats. This can result in huge economic impacts and fundamental disruptions of coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems.
How do you deal with aliens invasive species?