Latest news with #biodiversityloss
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Plea to Aussie councils after common roadside problem exposed in photo
Australia's network of roads can be plain ugly, so what could be prettier than a local council planting a bed of pretty flowers across the surrounding nature strip? Unfortunately, experts have identified an often overlooked problem created beside one roundabout, just 6km west of Melbourne's CBD, where instead of local native plants, 'highly invasive' gazanias have been planted. Dr Ali Bajwa's Weed Science Group at La Trobe Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and Food has been investigating the impact of the species on the environment and agriculture, and he believes they are 'problematic'. The plant spiked in popularity in Australia during the 1950s and 1960s, but despite its known problems, it continues to be sold in nurseries and planted by councils. 'They spread quite rapidly. We've seen places where they've covered everything and replaced all of the remnant vegetation. They were introduced as ornamental plants, mainly grown in gardens and nature strips, and we believe that's where they've spread from,' he told Yahoo News Australia. Gazanias are known for their fierce growth, which ensures the species smothers native groundcovers and wildflowers, leading to a loss of native plant diversity. While its flowers and leaves are pretty to look at, they provide little habitat or food for native animals or insects. The plant can spread through garden waste, or via seeds or root systems when it's in the ground. Although some modern species have sterile seeds and this helps restrict its impact on the environment. Gazania is now a common sight along roadsides, particularly in Victoria and South Australia. When the species invades paddocks, farmers struggle to manage its spread, as standard herbicides are generally ineffective. Bajwa believes the 'horse has already bolted' when it comes to the invasion of gazania, but that doesn't give gardeners an excuse to plant more. The problem is clearly bigger than just one cluster, pictured on the side of the road in Footscray. 'Councils should be thinking of replacing them with more desirable species, like natives, which can grow well under the same conditions,' he said. Will the roadside gazanias be removed by council? Some local governments have already pulled them out to try and help the environment, but others are yet to do so. There doesn't appear to be any immediate plans to remove the gazanias or the invasive agapanthus growing in the roundabout in Footscray. Maribyrnong City Council, which manages the nature strip, did not respond directly to questions from Yahoo News about whether it was aware of the gazanias, why it was allowing them to flourish, or what it planned to do about the problem. 'Council uses a variety of native and non-native species in open space plantings to suit the character of different areas,' its CEO Celia Haddock said in a statement. 'Council does not plant declared noxious weeds and we continue to look for opportunities to prioritise native plants, and improve planting practices where suitable.' How councils can avoid spreading invasive plants To avoid the spread of more weeds into Australia's fragile environment, the Invasive Species Council (ISC) advises that local governments should opt for native plants. Speaking generally about the issue, spokesperson Imogen Ebsworth said there's simply not enough information available as to what has become invasive, or is likely to in the future. 'The result of that is that councils then sometimes find they've inadvertently planted an invasive species that then becomes a problem for them to manage on their own land, and also impacts others,' she told Yahoo. 'A way for councils to address this would be to really focus on plants that are natural to the local area, and are not invasive.' 🚨 Invasive species photographed destroying Aussie bush 🧪 Scientist's 'time capsule' in vault key to resurrecting Aussie species 🔎 Rare species with less than a thousand in the wild tracked down The ISC's solution to the problem is to approve national regulations that would prohibit the sale of invasive plants, taking the onus off councils and home gardeners to know what is problematic. 'We've got a situation where over 75 per cent of the invasive weeds we deal with have started their life as garden ornamentals, and a lot of them take 50 years or so for it to become clear that they're really invasive,' Ebsworth said. 'So we've got this huge time lapse gap where we've got over 30,000 introduced plants into Australia, most of them have not been assessed for whether they are weeds or could become weeds. So the information is really imperfect for decision makers. At the local council level, that means good intentions sometimes turn into invasive problems.' Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists sound alarm on 'silent killing machines' that are devastating wildlife: 'This is very serious'
Scientists are sounding the alarm that water canals around the globe are responsible for animal drownings, which is harming populations. While water canals are a solution for irrigation and flood protection, among other issues, researchers have observed the problems they cause for animals. The canals are designed in a way that makes it easy for animals to fall in, but difficult to climb out. They also divide animal habitats, fragmenting the populations of species and making it harder for them to reproduce successfully. According to Mongabay, more than 200 animals of 35 species were spotted dead in the last six months in a study by Diego Gallego-García and José Sarasola. Both researchers are from Argentina's National Council for Scientific and Technical Research and the National University of La Pampa. While animal deaths have been decreasing over time, researchers fear that animal populations near canals have been speeding up their decline. "We may be witnessing a defaunation [rapid extinction of wildlife] process along the canal," Gallego-García said to Mongabay. "This is very serious for the conservation of wildlife species and a problem that has so far been kept silent." Not only could the effects of biodiversity loss ripple out into our food chains, but ecosystems run the risk of being severely damaged. We may not be able to see the immediate effects, but suffering and degradation still happen. "It is an urgent issue," Gallego-García told Mongabay. "[Canals] are silent killing machines for wildlife, still greatly underestimated worldwide." Several solutions have been suggested to address these deaths. For example, bridges and other methods of crossing could help animals make their way over the canal. But as Gallego-García pointed out to Mongabay, "They are not used by all species and are not effective solutions for preventing deaths and the fragmentation of natural habitats." How often do you worry about the quality of your drinking water? Never Sometimes Often Always Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Covering the canals as well as holistically redesigning future canals may be better solutions. But it is up to local and national governments to determine how this will be feasible. While this damage is largely silent, it affects humanity and the environment as a whole. Remedying this now will prevent further destruction down the line and protect vital animal populations. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
