Invasive plant species can have far-reaching consequences on an area.
Officials in County Mayo, Ireland, are raising concerns about invasive gunnera, Western People reports.
What’s happening?
Gunnera tinctoria, sometimes called giant rhubarb for the large leaves that resemble the rhubarb plant, is native to Chile and Argentina, but this plant is outcompeting many of Ireland’s native plants. The plant’s size and leaves cast shade on other smaller plants, cutting them off from the light they need.
The Chair of Mayo County Council, Sean Carey, told Western People, “It seems to be taking grip and spreading on a lot of ground and some land it is in is now not eligible for the ACRES scheme and there is fear of it spreading.”
The ACRES scheme, or the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme, is a €1.5 billion (about $1.745 billion USD) initiative by the Irish government to support farmers while addressing biodiversity decline.
According to Ireland’s National Biodiversity Data Center, gunnera has a high likelihood of spreading and poses a risk to the Irish economy in Galway and Mayo.
Why are invasive species important?
Invasive species outcompete native species for resources, wreaking havoc on the local ecosystem.
Native plants have evolved over thousands of years in a given location, making them well-adapted to the region’s weather patterns and an important resource for local wildlife.
When invasive species enter a region, native species lack experience with them. This lets them run rampant until another creature adapts to challenge them. For example, the spotted lanternfly spread throughout much of the United States with no real predators. Just recently, scientists observed that bats were preying on these bugs.
Protecting native species has a wide range of effects, from conserving natural resources to protecting the food supply.
What’s being done about gunnera in Ireland?
Gunnera is banned through legislation like the Third Schedule of the EU Habitats Regulations. This helps prevent new gunnera from being planted, but it does not stop the spread of gunnera that has already taken root.
Because the plant can grow from fragments, it is generally not recommended to dig the plant up. Removing flowers from plants in spring and summer can help prevent the spread of their seeds, but the cut flowers must be securely stored and allowed to rot and die. Herbicide can also be applied in the late summer or autumn to kill the plant.
If you spot gunnera in the wild in Ireland, you can report it to the National Biodiversity Data Center.
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