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Arundo donax FACT SHEET
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There are numerous negative effects associated with the establishment of Arundo donax (aka River cane, Carrizo cane, Giant reed, Georgia cane) within the riparian areas of the Nueces and Sabinal rivers.
Some of these include:
Water Quality: Elevation of PH and temperature and lower dissolved-oxygen content.
Water Supply: Loss of surface flows and groundwater recharge through the plant’s heavy consumption and rapid transpiration.
Flooding: Obstruction of the floodplain’s ability to evenly dissipate flood energy leading to dramatic alteration and instability within the stream channel.
Erosion: Increased erosion of stream banks and damage to private property due to channel obstruction and shallow (in comparison to native riparian vegetation) rooting structure.
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Fire Hazard: High in wax content, Arundo donax is an extremely volatile fuel. It is known to substantially increase danger of wildfire occurrence, intensity, and frequency and to decrease the riparian areas ability to act as a firebreak.
Riparian Function: Displacement of native riparian plants, and therefore habitat, through monopolization of soil moisture and density. Arundo is a “game-changer” for the riparian area of these pristine headwater streams.
Wildlife: Reduction in diversity and abundance of riparian-dependent species accompanied by an increase in favorable habitat and food supply for feral hogs and nutria.
Effective Control: Riparian landowner involvement and understanding are the most important ingredients in control. Arundo donax is easily spread my mechanical disturbance and by floating cut stalks. Its growth and expansion is stimulated by fire. With common understanding and landowner cooperation, a control program is being mounted on upper Nueces and Sabinal rivers to include:
- Pull - hand pulling of cut stalks and new sprouts
- Kill - organized and well timed herbicide application and Nutria control
- Plant - utilizing the protected nursery of dead Arundo clumps to cultivate high stability native plants
Biological control agents are being developed on the Rio Grande and could be considered as a follow-up control strategy if proven effective and desirable.
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