Originating and found from countries near the Mediterranean, the French Broom was brought to California, more specifically the Bay Area, as a decorative plant in the 1800’s. The plant grows rapidly, with thousands of seeds being produced every year, especially through the months of April and July. Seeds scatter more than 10 feet away from its plant, and animals scatter them away even farther. French Broom prevents native plants from growing and reproducing. For example, the article explains, “It is a strong competitor and can dominate a plant community, forming dense monospecific stands” (“Invasive Plants”). Eating the seeds has also been known to cause paralysis and digestive disorders in animals. The seeds can also survive in icy and chilly …show more content…
With a drought in California, fire risks go up, and French Broom only makes it worse. Killing seedlings is an essential part of removing the French Broom completely, to prevent even more rapid reproduction of the noxious weed. This source is helpful to my research because it tells me about the history of the French Broom and how it is harmful to the environment.Originating and found from countries near the Mediterranean, the French Broom was brought to California, more specifically the Bay Area, as a decorative plant in the 1800’s. The plant grows rapidly, with thousands of seeds being produced every year, especially through the months of April and July. Seeds scatter more than 10 feet away from its plant, and animals scatter them away even farther. French Broom prevents native plants from growing and reproducing. For example, the article explains, “It is a strong competitor and can dominate a plant community, forming dense monospecific stands” (“Invasive Plants”). Eating the seeds has also been known to cause paralysis and digestive disorders in animals. The seeds can also survive in icy and chilly weather, or even in fires, making them much harder to get rid
Also, for eighty years, Belleau Wood has been the source of a number of disputes and controversies. Some writers, like Historian/Novelist Thomas Fleming, feel the battle should have never been fought, that American commanders should have seen the predictable outcome given the bloody results of similar assaults against other densely wooded patches on the Somme and in the Ypres Salient. Thus, the American generals should have resisted French orders to mount the attack. When the fight was still being waged, Army regulars began resenting the way the Marine Corps circumvented AEF news management to get their story told while the contributions of army units at Chateau-Thierry were unreported. Thus, military historians have put the tactics and methods applied at Belleau Wood under a very strong microscope. But also, there is considerable criticism laid at the feet of 4th Brigade Commander James Harbord, a Pershing favorite from the Army, for his lack of appreciation for the need to apply concentrated artillery fire to the task of clearing the wood and his piecemeal
The Southern California Chaparral is in itself threatened. Fires, overgrazing, and invasive species have disrupted it over the course of many years and it is now in danger. According to the WWF, the Southern California Chaparral “ one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America”(California Chaparral and Woodlands).The Chaparral are often close to residential and commercial areas and this can be detrimental. Runoff from the residential areas can contaminate the soil and stop primary production. More land is also revamped and turned into more human expanses.The land is often treated very poorly and the habitat of many animals are destroyed. Unfortunately when fires occur, the brush is able to grow back, but the wildlife is adversely affected.Because of fires and human intervention, there are a few endangered plants and animals. Some endangered animals include the California Gnatcatcher and Heermann Kangaroo mouse. In addition, there are a lot of flora that are very rare and only exist in this area. The Gnatcatcher’s habitat has been encroached by shopping malls and homes while the Heermann
Originally living near the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys the Osages were pushed off their lands by the Iroquois confederacy into Missouri. Eventually as they hunted they found themselves in parts of Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Osages did garden and forge tools which was documented by the French when they ventured into their lands around 1673. The French and Osages traded with each other and being allies with them the French made treaties with other tribes to stop warfare between one another. When the treaty of Paris was signed in 1763 land west of the Mississippi river was given to the spanish who did do the same as the French did with Osages and other neighboring tribes. The Osages would come to know the americans around
It can dominate certain areas and create a homogenization of florals by suppressing native plants (Kuhn and Klotz 2006).
cattleianum, is a highly invasive species that damages native Hawaiian forests, ecosystems, and the watershed, which can be managed through mechanical, chemical, and biological controls. In its native homeland of southeastern Brazil, the strawberry guava is limited, unlike Hawaii, where it forms monotypic stands that displace native Hawaiian flora and fauna and drive these indigenous, endemic, and endangered species towards extinction. Strawberry guava contributes further to the displacement of native Hawaiian forests by providing nourishment to feral pigs and mice that feed on native Hawaiian flora and fauna. Besides displacement of native Hawaiian species, strawberry guava puts humans at risk through increased erosion and soil runoff as well as hosting fruit flies that cause large scale damage to crops. Mechanical and chemical controls were used to manage P. cattleianum, however they require a lot of time, labor, and money, yet the strawberry guava prevails majority of the time. The State has recently introduced a biocontrol, T. ovatus, which is host specific to P. cattleianum and not its commercially significant cousin, P. guajava, nor any native Hawaiian plants. Although the T. ovatus will not kill the strawberry guava, the T. ovatus will inhibit the growth of new foliage and fruit formation. With the introduction of T. ovatus and increased public awareness of the effects of strawberry guava, P. cattleianum can be controlled and eliminated to
The rising number of high severity wildfires in California has significant ecological, economic, and health impacts. Many western American forests are adapted to frequent low severity fires. However, the majority of these forests, and particularly the mixed conifer forests of California, are not adapted to high intensity fires and do not possess fire resistance adaptations such as serotinous cones to protect seeds. Consequently, high severity fires have significant negative impacts on California forests, and the absence of low severity fires has considerably altered many fundamental ecosystem processes (Miller et al. 2008). Prior to 1900, low severity fires would burn every 6-15 years. Low severity fires are generally non-lethal, have minimal change to the overstory, and kill mainly small trees. In the past, these fires were started naturally by lightning, or by Native Americans who used low severity fires to manage the forests.
When you think about France, what do you usually envision? Do you think of the center of fashion and design, the rolling vineyards of Bordeaux, or maybe the smooth language of love? Better yet do you think about a government formed with the Constitution that was in many ways is a framework for that of the United States of America, or a formidable military and an affluent economy. You would be correct if you had said any of the above. However, did you know that 1940’s France was a powder keg teetering on the verge of chaos in a tumultuous world: led by a vastly weakened military, a marionette government, and a virtually nonexistent economy?
The plants have been thriving through California, which then would lead to the plants going through parts of the Mojave Desert since it is located in California. The plants that are un-harmful are the ones that are native. The non native plant species are one of the leading causes of the many wildfires in the area. The ones to look out for are the Russian thistle, cheat grass, saharan mustard, giant reed, and the tamarisk (“Invasive Species”). Along with the non native plant species growing rapidly and out of control, there are also two latter weeds that have been growing along river channels through the Mojave Desert. Once a desert is damaged, it can take years to regrow the plants let alone centuries to return to the desert and be look somewhat back to a normal state of being (¨Air Quality Management¨). The non native plant species are fueling the desert wildfires. When native plants die off or get picked by another predator, the non native plants grow in place of the native ones (“Threats to Mojave”). The reason plants are causing the uproar is they have really fine native woods which tend to burn easily and the plants are so close together the next one just catches fire. Before different species came to the desert, the wildfires were not as much a problem as they are now. The Russian thistle, also known as tumbleweed, reproduces from seeds that fall off of the bush in the wind. The
An example of an invasive plant includes the Canada thistle. The Canada thistle harms the environment because it, “crowds out and replaces native plants, changes the structure and species composition of natural plant communities and reduces plant and animal diversity… prevents the coexistence of other plant species through shading, competition for soil resources… through the release of chemical toxins poisonous to other plants” (Canada). The Canada thistle’s only special way of harming the surrounding environment consists of poisoning the plants that surround it. Otherwise the Canada thistle does not have any special ways that it harms the environment. People brought the Canada thistle to the United States in the 1600’s. By the year 1954, Canada and the United States of America declare the Canada thistle as a “noxious weed.” However now many consider the Canada thistle as an invasive plant (Canada). The Canada thistle has many ways that you can control it. You can cut it by hand, pull the plant out, burn them, or use chemicals to kill these plants. The best way to get rid of the Canada thistle encompasses using chemicals. If you do not have any chemicals to do this job you can always cut the plant down to the ground, and when it regrows do this again until the roots become exhausted
The second main issue that “Ecology of Fear” raised was regarding the wild fires that have ravaged Southern California for years. Although this situation arises virtually every time the Santa Ana winds kick in or due to the presence of chaparral
Habitat destruction caused by commercial farming, and logging, is a major threat for the region, as the California Floristic Province produces half of all the cultivated products used by U.S. consumers. The hotspot is also heavily threatened by the urbanization, pollution, and road construction. (University of California, 2017).
Georgia has been invaded by numerous species that are known as harmful exotic plants and animals. It is so costly to attempt to control invasive species and the damages they inflict cost the United States annually an estimated $137 billion (Georigia Invasive Species Task Force, 2005). For example, in South Georgia there is an estimate of 7 million acres of Kudzu vine that originated in Japan and China. The damage that arises with the Kudzu vine is that it grows up to one foot per day and overgrows and shades out trees, covers houses, barns and road signs (Georigia Invasive Species Task Force, 2005). In order to make this a top priority some things congress needs to change is the revision of current United States policy on importation of live plants and animals and when considering, reviewing, or approving trade agreements they address specific invasive species. In addition, the implementation of prescribed burnings in areas with invasive species will help eliminate and control the spreading of such invasive species.
Before the drastic events of the dust bowl, white settlers, lured in by extremely inexpensive land, arrived to have lives as farmers. However, to obtain this land Native Americans were forced off of their own land, leaving millions of acres with thick prairie grass. This seemingly indestructible grass could survive lightning strikes, harsh winters, blazing summers, and the most anhydrous droughts. Sadly, when the settlers arrived, the destruction and removal of the grass from the vast plains began. To accomplish such a feat, farmers used axes, sharp blade plows, and some farmers even used their bare hands. In only two decades, millions of acres of prairie grass was completely obliterated, just for wheat to replace it. Thankfully for the farmers, the wheat was fruitful, for plentiful rain ensued the planting of the wheat. At this time, humans destroyed the prairie grass.
Cheatgrass is the common name for the species Bromus tectorum L. and belongs to the grass family Poaceae (USDA 2015). This invasive plant was originally reported in eastern North America but now it is dominant in the Intermountain West (Huttanus 2009). The genetics of 192 North American populations of Bromus tectorum is studied so far (Huttanus 2009). Cheatgrass grows mostly in coarse texted soils whereas it cannot develop in saline or compacted soil (USDA 2014). In addition, it can invade rapidly in troubled areas such as burned areas, overgrazed rangelands, and cultivated fields. The spreading of the plant to shorter distance occurred as a result of transportation of hairy seeds by wind, birds, water, and to greater distance by vehicles carrying seeds in its undercarriage (USDA 2014).
One of the biggest problems surrounding the protection of California’s plants and crops, is the threat of pests and invasive species. Pests are a constant danger as they can ruin plants by infecting them, or destroying them by eating away at the inside. There is also the danger of invasive species. The National