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Silent killers in the wetlands

There are subtle invaders attacking US wetlands and waterways. Most of us are oblivious to their presence, but the alarm has sounded all the way from Washington D.C. In fact, in February, the President signed an executive order which requires federal agencies to work together to stifle the growth of non-native species.

Some of these alien invaders are:

• Purple loosestrife, a pretty flowering plant, was brought here from Europe in the 1800’s for medicinal and ornamental purposes. Today it consumes 1.5 million acres of wetlands nationwide, destroying native vegetation and a forage base for waterfowl.

• Chestnut blight, a fungus which came with nursery stock from Asia in 1904, has eliminated mature American chestnut trees that were once an important wildlife food source and lumber product.

• Gypsy moth, an all-too-familiar insect that has destroyed thousands of oak trees throughout the Northeast and is now spreading to the Midwestern states, is another culprit.

• MSX is a single-cell organism that is responsible for destroying 90 percent of the oyster population in the Chesapeake Bay, affecting the economics of the region. Ecologically, the disease has destroyed the natural filtration of the oyster. It is said the Bay’s oyster population could once filter all the water in the Chesapeake in a few days — now that process takes an entire year.

• Nutria, a rodent from South America, is eating away at the root systems of plants vital to wetlands. These essential roots mat the marshes together, and once they are destroyed, the land is literally washed away by the tides. Maryland has reached a critical stage, and they are considering the death penalty for this unwanted invader. Nutrias are a problem in at least 24 other states. These mammals were originally brought here and raised in captivity for their fur, but like other aliens, they made it to the wild and are now playing havoc.

And the list continues. There are fire ants, Dutch elm disease, zebra mussels and countless others. In fact, the executive order mentioned earlier will spend $29 million next year on exotic species research and management.