New research from the University of California, Davis found that an explosion of invasive plants is possible even decades or centuries after introduction. These ticking time bombs could be lying in wait for the right conditions—or adapting to the new environment—before wreaking havoc.
Not to name names, but: Ribwort and velvetleaf were two of the invasive plants called out in the study, which was published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. Ribwort was first introduced to the U.S. in 1822, had a lag phase, and is now present in all states. Velvetleaf, a common complaint for corn and soybean farmers, can stay dormant for up to 50 years.
By the numbers:
- ⅓ of studied invasive plants had a long lag time between introduction and rapid expansion
- 40 years was the average lag time, with the longest being 320 years (looking at you, sycamore maples)
- 65% of California’s invasive plants were knowingly introduced
Soundbite: “The problem is most of the models that we have for risk assessment to see if the species are going to be invasive and a pest problem in the future don’t account for this lag phase or this dormant phase. It’s not that they’re not going to be a problem, it’s just the calm before the storm,” said study authorMohsen Mesgaran of the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis.
So, what next? Researchers will keep looking into plants’ dormancy periods, with the hope of helping policymakers and growers build more effective pest management strategies in the future.
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Congress to EPA: What’s Your BEEF with Meat Packers?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering new regulations that take aim at meat and poultry processors.
And some members of Congress have a BEEF with the EPA’s proposals.
The proposed rules: In late January, the EPA released the details of its proposed “Clean Water Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Meat and Poultry Products Point source category.”
Huh?
Basically, the EPA formally published its proposals to combat wastewater contaminants that come from slaughterhouses.
Okay… that makes more sense.
At the heart of the rules proposal is a concern from environmental groups about nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants that originate from slaughterhouses. In some cases, the wastewater goes directly into waterways. In other cases, the water goes to municipal wastewater treatment facilities.
But not everyone is on board with the EPA’s suggestions…
Congress responds: Last week, two U.S. representatives—Eric Burlison (MO) and Ron Estes (KS)—pushed back against the EPA and introduced the “Banning EPA’s Encroachment of Facilities (BEEF) Act.” If passed and signed by President Biden, the law would prohibit the EPA from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the rule.
According to the lawmakers, the proposed rules place undue burden on small processors—costs that can be absorbed by larger companies.
Soundbite: “The… proposed regulation isn’t just an attack on family-run small businesses, it’s an attack on rural communities,” said Burlison. “These meat and poultry processors are the lifeblood of our communities. The BEEF Act… lets these hardworking Americans do what they do best, produce safe, affordable food for our families.”
University of Illinois Makes Big Mooves in Milk Production
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