Eurasian milfoil is a soft looking flora that was once a common plant to find in fresh water aquariums.
Yet, It did not stay there. Now it is believed to be an predatory species that threatens The northern Us fresh water streams, rivers, ponds and lakes.
In its indigenous Eurasian surroundings it is a relatively harmless plant (but still a bit of a pest) but here, out of its regular waters, it takes over and destroys ecosystems, clogs water intakes and power plants, and makes them unwanted for recreational purposes.
Several theories are around that explain its foundation. One is that it hitched a ride on the ballast of a ship coming from Europe or Asia. That is a good guess. When they tested ships departing invaded water, 25% carried some milfoil with it. The other main possibility is it was introduced by people throwing away fish tank plants or packing material used to ship live worms.
The most dangerous thing about this flora is that it can adapt to live in almost every kind of aquatic habitat in North America. It can live in the cold of Washington State or the warmth of Florida. From clear waters of the Rockies to the salty waters of the salt marshes it can thrive. To make its life easier, nothing seems to like eating it.
Once established it propagates rapidly in waters that range from 2 feet to up to 30 feet, snarling just below the surface and choking out the native vegetation. Some plants like millet are given small chance to grow, which causes troubles because they are a food source for many and a home for small aquatic animals. This matted growth also causes problems for any mammals or birds that fish for their food. Further more, the vast mats keep the wind from properly aerating the water and choking adult fish as well as assisting spawn algae blooms which further worsen the problem.
These plants are problematic to people as well. Not only does milfoil reduce water quality but the mats make shoreline bathing impossible. Milfoil impedes fish breeding, which means fewer fishermen. Milfoil is also a problem for boatmen because it can become entangled on the engine, cause dangers for water skiers and block navigation hazards from the sailors view.
Residential Districts and companies are also put at a disadvantage because of this little water flora. Water intakes or over flows can get clogged leading to deficits in some areas and flooding in others. Dams and electrical energy output can also be affected if the water flora mats get caught up in the dams.
Milfoil control has been challenging. Generally poisons are out of the question as they destroy the very ecosystem they were meant to save. Manual removing the plant isn’t fully successful because the parts that break off can form new plants elsewhere. For that reason the large mechanical harvesters are only used in the worst cases and then only as a first step. Milfoil has been more successfully removed by vacuum dragging, which can pick up any broken pieces left behind. A weevil maybe the solution to the milfoil dilemma as it love to eat the water plant and is a natural way to fight the weed.
Milfoil is just one type of unwanted species that has overstayed its welcome; many other invasive aquatic plants are still thriving across the nation. When plants or animals are introduced outside their natural environment, you can’t foresee the significances.
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