"Invasive Plants" (Nov.1st. 2010)

These are non-indigenous species that adversely affect the habitats they invade economically, environmentally or ecologically. They are usually aggressive, have few diseases and tend to lead to widespread plant monocultures.

There is a drive in many parts of the country to control or eradicate as many of the more serious species as possible. This can often prove to be a difficult task. Such control measures are either physical or chemical. Pulling out the offenders is time consuming and often expensive. Recently, chemical methods have been explored in many areas, for example, BC, Canada. Here, schemes have become organized under the umbrella of the Invasive Plant Council of BC. A discussion is now underway concerning the use of the herbicide "Roundup".

Roundup with its active ingredient glyphosate has long been promoted as safe for humans and the environment while effective in killing weeds. It is a combination of glyphosate with other chemicals including a surfactant (detergent) that enhances the spreading of the spray droplets on the leaves of plants.

However there is now some debate as to the overall safety of this herbicide. A group of scientists led by biochemist Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini from the University of Caen in France found that human placental cells are very sensitive to Roundup and that glyphosate is toxic to human placental cells . This, they suggest, could explain the high levels of premature births and miscarriages observed among women farmers in the US using glyphosate

Biologist Rick Relyea has found that Roundup is 'extremely lethal' to amphibians ( http://www.pitt.edu/news2009/Roundup.pdf ) In what is considered one of the most extensive studies on the effects of pesticides on non-target organisms in a natural setting, Relyea found that Roundup caused a 70% decline in amphibian biodiversity and an 86% decline in the total mass of tadpoles.

New research indicates that glyphosate and its surfactant in Roundup act in synergy to increase damage to the liver of rats.

If studies are true which indicate that Roundup can have harmful health effects to humans, we should consider this: Since the bulk of commercially planted GM crops are designed to tolerate Roundup with its active ingredient, glyphosate, there could be a corresponding increase in agricultural use of this herbicide. The consequences of this are somewhat alarming.

I would certainly not be promoting the use of Roundup in the manner which has been suggested for our area. At least all application-agents should be fully informed of all of the above suggested dangers ...particularly pregnant women volunteers. Too, don't forget that there are many keen blackberry pickers around who would need warning ...would we place fluorescent caution tape on each treated plant? I can anticipate the headline: "A prominent eco-organization spreading debatable herbicides"....Hmmm.

I am also very concerned about the Amphibian angle. Many species are in decline and they are important eco-indicators. Also, like it or not, the GM issue is also significant.

So many studies are presented ...refuted ...re-presented etc. This is the nature of science but we are caught with the consequences arising from the ultimate truth. We do not yet know the truth about so many products ...but should we take the risk midstream while the scientists win the battle to find the "truth"?

Remember in the 70's when there was a study which said that coffee with bacon causes cancer.....now it does not, apparently. Maybe the mix will be considered a culprit again. Another study points to the smoking process in these meats and not the coffee at all...or maybe it's the caffeine which speeds the whole thing up.

Then there was the vitamin C debate which is still going on.

Ah well. We sometimes believe what we want to believe. But let's not "throw caution to the wind".

My real concern in my own area is spraying related to the "surfactant ingredient" and the PR issue in relation to the use of other more harmful herbicides. Injection and other non-spraying methods have to be the way to go, if we must use this chemical. Knotweed and Giant Hogweed are two important issues but using sprayed Round Up on English Ivy, for example, is another. At least keep it for the really noxious species.

There is one place in my town where English Ivy is used on a whole landscaping wall (very attractive) which might, in part, not be right inside the property line...... should this part be sprayed with round-up?.....No! ....this feature has taken years to get established and serves to help stabilize the bank and is quite innocuous, especially as it is quite shaded and does not flower much to produce seeds. The real problem is when ivy is in full sun. There so many factors here which come into play which begs the need for further discussion.

On a slightly more frivolous and possibly facetious note: If Hawaii culled all of its non-native plants, it would be a very boring holiday destination and the Galapagos Islands ...well?.....Where would the line have been drawn? 200 years ago or 2000....Would the giant turtles have been cut off as "invasive" because they arrived too late? Sometimes seeds from other countries arrive here by natural vectors. There are no borders visible from space

I guess we must accept that many of us separate ourselves from the rest of nature but still retain the need for manipulation and control of other species. We are unique in this but should be mindful of our overall responsibility, and this includes the above issue.