Invasive Plant Blog

Invasive Plants

Common Name: Alligator Weed
Scientific Name: Alternanthera philaxeroides
Description: Emergent, Aggressive mat forming perennial (every year), has a white flower,
Reproduction: Spreads from seed of plant fragments
Problems Caused: Impedes navigation and displaces native vegetation
Prevention:Laws that make it ilegal to prevent or transport in Texas
photohttp://greenup-tulsa.com/images/alligator_weed.JPG

Common Name: Hydrilla
Scientific Name: Hydrilla verticuillata
Description: Perennial, grows more than one inch per day
Reproduction: Spreads through tubers, turions, stolons, and fragments. No seeds
Problems Caused: Displaces native vegetation, Impedes navigation. Slow water flow, jam against bridges and dams and causes flooding. Mats cover over water, wont allow light in.
Prevention: Prohibited because it causes so many problems.
photo:http://wric.ucdavis.edu/information/aquatic/images/hydrilla_1.jpg

Common Name: Eurasian Watermilfoil
Scientific Name: Myriophyllum spicatum
Description: Submerged, Stems are red when actively growing, grows perennially, was brought to the U.S. in the 1950s.
Reproduction: Spreads by seeds, fragments, and stolents
Problems Caused: Impedes navigation, displaces native vegetation and is spread by boats, trailers, and birds
Prevention: Prohibited because so many problems.
photo:http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/img/mysp1.jpg

Common Name: Giant Salvinia
Scientific Name: Salvinia molesta
Description: Free floating, aquatic fern, dense mats, root hairs on leaves, resemble "egg beaters". In Australia, known to grow 3 ft above the surface of a lake.
Reproduction: Spreads rapidly by buds
Problems Caused: Reduces oxygen, negatively effects water quality habitat, it is almost impossible to eradicate.Causes flooding and clogs pipes. Blocks sunlight and prevents oxygen.
Prevention: Prohibited because of problems in Australia and South Africa
photo:http://www.clr.pdx.edu/images/GiantSalvinia1.jpg

Common Name: Water Hyacinth
Scientific Name: Elchhornia crassipes
Description: Free floating plants with violet flowers. It is one of the fastest growing plants known. Brought into U.S. during the late 1800s
Reproduction: Reproduces by daughter plants and forms thousands of seeds
Problems Caused: Uptakes nutrients in the water and releases H ions which acidify the water. Reduces oxygen levels
Prevention: Herbicide
photo:http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/files/2010/06/water_hyacinth_index.jpg

Common Name: Water Lettuce
Scientific Name: Pistia stratiotes
Description: Free floating, perennial, rosette of gray-green leaves. Creates large mats and resembles a floating open head of lettuce
Reproduction: daughter plants
Problems Caused: Large mats affect habitat and impedes navigation
Prevention: Against Texas laws to possess or transport. Can be removed physically by raking, by insects, or by pesticides.
Photo:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOllBvHamzPjjTplM-MMPzatX9hXpXw_wKq88PBavWJnbY3eTPFbjIHtAdGigHBxEp8wcNxDN_wFRZGEALnwWvYWD2p0o-YVphpCNTMFbluy49nvu6Na4MCz8Jmts1Efs0IYdpXkbed28/s1600/Water+Lettuce-2.jpg

Common Name:Purple Loosestrife
Scientific Name: Lythrum salicaria
Description: Emergent, invasive wetland, brought to Eastern U.S. 200 years ago. Added to weland for their fusia colored flowers.
Reproduction: Each plant can produce 2-3 million seeds.
Problems Caused: Clogs irrigation canals, in all 50 states except Florida. Replaces native vegetation
Prevention: There are several different beetles that have been brought in to eat away at the plant
Photo:http://sites.duke.edu/writing20_12_f2010/files/2010/09/purple-loosestrife-flowers.jpg

Monday: Algae Lab

Today we did a lab with partners, of looking at algae and organisms from ponds under a microscope. The last time we did an algae lab we found much more organisms than this one. We found no algae except Stigeoclonium, but it was mostly just a lot of grasses. Although, we were able to see Oscillatoria and Closterium from Ms. Wood's microscope. The Closterium was really interesting to look at, because you could actually see where the gypsum crystals would be, and the line through the middle of the crescent shaped algae. We found some really weird looking organisms. We were able to find a Damselfly Larva,  and Predaceous Diving Beetle Larva, and many Scuds, as well as a Paramecium (from Ms. Wood). While it was extremely difficult to capture photos of the organisms on our phones, due to some of their quick movements, but also to get the light correct and in focus, but after MANY attempts, we were able to get a few good ones!

FREE DAY

Sri Lanka Sea Turtle Conservation project:

Sea turtles are an endangered specieces and the Sri Lanka Sea Turtle Conservation Project is a volunteer project established in 1993 to ensure a safe place for the turtles to lay their eggs. Sri Lanka is known as a paradise island and their are five different species of sea turtles that lay their eggs on the island. The projects goal is to create a safe place for turtles to return to the same beaches and hatch their eggs. The volunteers take care of the turtle eggs, and feed the baby turtles, caring for them until they are strong enough to be on their own and go back into the ocean. They also care for wounded turtles, and also strive to educate people on their project, the five species of native sea turtles, and their endangerment.

The five turtles found in Sri Lanka are the Green Turtle, Olive Ridley Turtle, Leatherback Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, and Loggerhead Turtle.

 

 

Algae: Staurastrum

One type of algae that we have been learning about, is Staurastrum. Staurastrum has short spikes on the end and has different symmetries. The spike projections increase the algae's surface area and help it to move and float. Blooms of this algae can create odor problems, especially in drinking water. It has a grassy smell.

picture:http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/pdb/Images/Chlorophyta/Staurastrum/Eustaurastrum/Processiformes/3_arms/Staurastrum_16.jpg

Aquarium Field Trip!

The field trip was a really fun experience, especially after learning to identify so many fish, and then going somewhere that you can put that knowledge into place, and be able to point out and know what a majority of the fish are on first glance. My favorite part was seeing all of fish and knowing what they were, the least favorite part was it was kind of confusing on where to be and when.
I learned:
1. that a river otter is the largest in its family.
2. Orinoco crocodile is critically endangered.
3. Garden eels can grow up to 16 inches
4. They separate the adult seahorses and the babies from each other.
5. One of the most posionous frogs that they have at the aquarium was smaller than a golf ball!

Video: amphibians

Part A: Differences between frogs and toads:

Frogs:
moist and smooth skin
jumps

Toads:
dry skin
no warts!
poison glands behind eyes
walk

Both the toad and the frog pulsate to get air to their lungs

Amphibians are good indicators to the health of the environment because their skin if very porous and absorbent. Chemicals and pollutants will be very harmful to their skin and the amphibian itself. Due to increasing polluted waters, amphibian populations are decreasing. Water pollution continues to be a problem in need of being addressed. The waters should be tested and treated if having issues. With hopefully would stop the amphibian population from declining so drastically.

picture: http://img2.etsystatic.com/000/0/5251561/il_fullxfull.304438030.jpg

How to assess a pond

Lets say we were hired to assess a pond in the city of Lewisville. There are many steps that would need to be taken as well as tests to be done. The first thing that I would do would be to observe the pond. Just simply look and see if there are any obvious issues. Are there algae blooms? Are there dead fish or dead plants? Is there oil in thee water? After observations are taken, I would take a water sample. Both of these steps do not cost, but yet can help direct to the problem. In a water sample, I would look at the insects and the algae. This would be an important step because some insects and algae will either only thrive in cloean water, or only extremely polluted water. The third step I would take would be to conduct a water quality test. The water quality test would identify the ammonia levels, nitrite, pH, conductivity, and more. This would be a fairly inexpsnive test as well. Finally, I would probably conduct a Chemical Panel test, a much more expensive test, but a specialized diagnostic test to pinpoint a problem.

picture:https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij95MIwYYEXnetH_Qd2BizM6IQMOqxw_xyIysTzXi47OPuVcNi-laHWEIg7MRUVnuIf461yrrtqCeWy8KrWlz4y1BFiFnsc25quFv8vi7OXCUjssP02Sn724_r2evZF27g5gME5KgTKzmv/s1600/polluted-pond.jpg