A new plant invasive for British Columbia

Gary Williams of Coquitlam, British Columbia, reported the discovery of Spartina anglica (English cordgrass) in BC in the latest issue of Botanical Electronic News.

Spartina anglica is an aggressive, invasive species that spreads over mudflats. It is anecdotally known to displace native flora. The rich diversity of shorebirds, waterfowl, invertebrates and fish that are supported by the native flora are likely not as well supported by the monotypic stands of cordgrass.

Links:

• Discovery of a new salt marsh invasive to British Columbia, English cordgrass (Spartina anglica C.E. Hubb.) and management initiatives in 2003 from the Botanical Electronic News
• Common cordgrass (aka English cordgrass), from the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board
• Lonely, Beautiful and Threatened, an article from the Washington State Magazine (a publication of Washington State University). This article discusses the impacts of Spartina alterniflora (a closely related species to Spartina anglica) on Willapa Bay, the largest estuary between San Francisco and Puget Sound
• Attack of the Spartina Clones, another look at the task of dealing with the invasive Spartina alterniflora, this time from the excellent Tidepool

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 3:11 PM on March 18, 2004