” Do we protect native plants because they’re better for the earth, or because we hate strangers? A cherished principle of environmentalism comes under attack…” (via Boston Globe)
Related:
- Humans: Earth’s Most Invasive Species (indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com)
- Innovative Approach To Invasive Species: EAT THEM!!! (naturalhistorywanderings.com)
I listened to a SciFri podcast about this recently. The official topic was ‘weeds’ but they touched on this as well. The scientists’ stressed that there are many invasive species at any given time. We only focus on the ones we don’t like. Same with weeds: the scientists’ definition of weeds is ‘any plant that grows in places where humans don’t want them.’
So, it’s really about plants we like (where they grow) vs those we don’t like (where they grow). There is every reason to be concerned about some invasive species, such as duckweed in Texas lakes, because they overwhelm the native fauna and–definitively–have results that humans don’t want (such as mucking up water inlets, interfering with boating, etc.)
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