Weed Impact on Biodiversity

1. The greatest environmental threats facing Australia are weed invasions of the natural ecosystems.
2. Bitou bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera ) is causing a lot of threat to many native plant and communities in New South Wales.
3. The plant has invaded over 80 percent of the coastline.
4. To prevent the native species from Bitou invasion, the authorities are implementing the New South Wales Bitou Bush Threat Abatement Plan.
5. The plant originated in 1908 from South Africa and so far poses the threat to 55 plant species in and communities in the region.
6. The plant was planted along the along the coastline to stabilize the sand dunes and to revegetate them.
7. The planting of the weed stopped in 1960 after an uproar over its invasive potential.
8. The weed was listed as a noxious weed in 1998 under the South Wales Noxious Weeds Act.
9. Bitou plant is a weed considered to have a national significance in Australia due to its invasion that has been difficult to control.
10. Research is underway to find out the effect of the weed on the native plants in the country.
11. The plant has adverse effects on the plant diversity especially the native plants.
12. Invasion
13. The management of the weed includes the use of herbicides and burning to reduce its density. More research is ongoing to determine the best methods of controlling the weed and reduce its vigour.
14. Weeds have the effect of degrading the natural environments in many areas through competition and displacement of vegetation.
15. Researchers should try to understand the impacts of invasive weeds to humans and the general ecosystem.