Updated May 29
Monk parakeets' fate in judge's hands
Animal lovers call them a colorful part of the urban ecology, but the United Illuminating Co. wants a state judge to declare Connecticut's monk parakeet population a tenacious threat to public health and safety.
The utility claims the company's most-effective way to deal with the stick nests that some parrot colonies build on utility poles was the capture-and-slaughter program that sparked controversy, protests and worldwide interest in fall 2005.
During the first two days of a Superior Court trial in New Haven last week, a UI lawyer asked Judge Trial Referee Anthony V. DeMayo to rule that the regional utility can resume the kill tactics.
An animal rights group, which brought the lawsuit against UI more than two years ago, wants DeMayo to issue an injunction so the eradication, which claimed about 185 monk parakeets in 2005, stops permanently. Full Article
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Ash borer survey begins in PA this week
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Bright purple boxes will be hanging from ash trees as Pennsylvania officials begin a survey after Memorial Day to assess the spread of the ash borer.
Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff says the invasive beetle was discovered in Butler and Allegheny counties western Pennsylvania last summer.
Quarantines were imposed on the movement of ash nursery stocks, green lumber and firewood in those counties and neighboring Beaver and Lawrence counties.
Wolff says 10,000 three-sided traps will be hung in trees in 35 counties this summer to see whether the bettle has spread to new areas.
The emerald ash borer is a wood-boring beetle native to China and eastern Asia. It has killed more than 30 million ash trees in Michigan since 2002 and millions more in Ohio and Indiana. Article
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Native phramites discovered in Rhode Island after fire
Warren, RI — A saltmarsh fire last month in Warren, which caused thousands of dollars of damage to the Audubon Environmental Education Center boardwalk just over the town line in Bristol, has stoked the progress of a habitat restoration project designed to save it from phragmites, an aggressive, non-native plant that has overwhelmed the marsh's natural vegetation.
"The fire to us — and I feel bad saying this because of the boardwalk — was fascinating. Fascinating because we were able to get into areas of the overgrown marsh that hadn't been accessible before," said Wenley Ferguson, Save the Bay's restoration coordinator. "Now we can see tidal creeks and elevations of land that weren't previously visible and survey the damage" caused by the invasive plant.
Save the Bay is working with Warren Land Conservation Trust, a non-profit organization that owns the land, to bring the saltmarsh back.
"It opened your perspective to what the marsh really looked like," she said.
The marsh at Jacob's Point extends 47 acres along the Warren River and is bordered by the East Bay Bike Path and the Audubon Society's education center. The plant's dense root system and tall, willowy stands are destroying the ecosystem by preventing tidal flow into the marsh's further reaches, choking off the once abundant and diverse populations of fish and wildlife that lived there.
"The marsh has one of the largest varieties of flora in the state," said Marilyn Mathison, president of the land trust. A rare specimen of native phragmites was discovered after the fire in a small area of marsh near the Oyster Point Condominiums. The only other documented-finding of the plant is on Block Island. "It was very exciting," said Ms. Mathison, of the discovery. Full Article
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Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
Week of May 11, 2008
Invasive algae found in Maryland
Annapolis, Md. — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that a new invasive, non-native algae has been found in Maryland for the first time. The algae, commonly known as Didymo, was found by anglers in Gunpowder Falls in Baltimore County.
Didymo mats, also called “rock snot,” look slimy, but feel like wet cotton or wool, and can be white, yellow or brown. “This alga has the potential to disrupt ecosystems in waters it invades by choking out bottom-dwellers and removing food organisms for game fish and other aquatic species,” said Don Cosden, Assistant Director of DNR’s Fisheries Service.
DNR is developing an aggressive plan of attack to deal with this invader, and asks anglers and outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy Maryland’s waters to use extra precautions when moving from one stream or lake to another.
Once Didymo is established, it can cover and suffocate a stream bottom, and movement of a single cell can contaminate a new waterway. Felt bottom boots and waders commonly used by anglers are the worst culprits in the spread of aquatic invaders. Anglers are strongly encouraged to replace these boots with non-porous materials. New boots made of a sticky rubber material are safer for the aquatic environment and are much easier to clean.
Anglers and other recreational users of Gunpowder Falls and surrounding waters are especially urged to make sure they don’t contribute to the spread of Didymo or any other aquatic invasive species. The public is asked to clean anything that comes into contact with stream water by scrubbing away all dirt and debris before leaving a stream. At home, disinfect equipment by soaking in a 5% salt solution (1 lb/ 5 gal) for several minutes, or scrub well with dish detergent and rinse well. If disinfection is not possible, let equipment dry completely for at least 48 hours. Anglers may want to consider having two sets of equipment in order to move safely from one spot to another.
Didymo is an algal diatom that forms long stalks which combine to form heavy, thick mats that can smother a stream bottom. The stalks can persist for two or more months after the diatoms die, causing habitat damage for an extended period of time. Originally found in Scotland and extreme northern Europe and Asia, Didymo has been transported worldwide. Recently, the species has been found in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. In many cases, anglers have unknowingly transported the diatom on their fishing gear. DNR urges anyone who observes Didymo to contact Don Cosden at 410-260-8287 as soon as possible. Article
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Microwave zapping kills invasive species before the invasion
Scientists in Louisiana are reporting development and successful testing of a new cost-effective system to kill unwanted plants and animals that hitch a ride to the United States in the ballast water of merchant ships.
These so-called “invasive species,” such as the notorious zebra mussel, devastate native organisms and infrastructure and cost taxpayers billions of dollars annually. The study is scheduled for the June 1 issue of ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology.
In the study, Dorin Boldor and colleagues point out that invasive species often travel in ballast tanks of international cargo ships. Ships pump sea water into these tanks for stability when a vessel leaves port with little or no cargo. They dump the water at their destination — along with zebra mussels, Asian clams and other organisms that may pose environmental risks.
The new study describes development and laboratory-scale tests of a continuous microwave system which, much like a kitchen microwave oven, used heat to inactivate zooplankton, algae, and oyster larvae in salt water.
Researchers found that a 30-second zap, followed by a 200-second holding period, removed all marine life. Boldor noted that the high heating rates, low operating costs, and effectiveness in hazy water distinguish it from conventional heating methods. Article
Annapolis, Md. — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that a new invasive, non-native algae has been found in Maryland for the first time. The algae, commonly known as Didymo, was found by anglers in Gunpowder Falls in Baltimore County.
Didymo mats, also called “rock snot,” look slimy, but feel like wet cotton or wool, and can be white, yellow or brown. “This alga has the potential to disrupt ecosystems in waters it invades by choking out bottom-dwellers and removing food organisms for game fish and other aquatic species,” said Don Cosden, Assistant Director of DNR’s Fisheries Service.
DNR is developing an aggressive plan of attack to deal with this invader, and asks anglers and outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy Maryland’s waters to use extra precautions when moving from one stream or lake to another.
Once Didymo is established, it can cover and suffocate a stream bottom, and movement of a single cell can contaminate a new waterway. Felt bottom boots and waders commonly used by anglers are the worst culprits in the spread of aquatic invaders. Anglers are strongly encouraged to replace these boots with non-porous materials. New boots made of a sticky rubber material are safer for the aquatic environment and are much easier to clean.
Anglers and other recreational users of Gunpowder Falls and surrounding waters are especially urged to make sure they don’t contribute to the spread of Didymo or any other aquatic invasive species. The public is asked to clean anything that comes into contact with stream water by scrubbing away all dirt and debris before leaving a stream. At home, disinfect equipment by soaking in a 5% salt solution (1 lb/ 5 gal) for several minutes, or scrub well with dish detergent and rinse well. If disinfection is not possible, let equipment dry completely for at least 48 hours. Anglers may want to consider having two sets of equipment in order to move safely from one spot to another.
Didymo is an algal diatom that forms long stalks which combine to form heavy, thick mats that can smother a stream bottom. The stalks can persist for two or more months after the diatoms die, causing habitat damage for an extended period of time. Originally found in Scotland and extreme northern Europe and Asia, Didymo has been transported worldwide. Recently, the species has been found in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. In many cases, anglers have unknowingly transported the diatom on their fishing gear. DNR urges anyone who observes Didymo to contact Don Cosden at 410-260-8287 as soon as possible. Article
------------------------------------------------------------
Microwave zapping kills invasive species before the invasion
Scientists in Louisiana are reporting development and successful testing of a new cost-effective system to kill unwanted plants and animals that hitch a ride to the United States in the ballast water of merchant ships.
These so-called “invasive species,” such as the notorious zebra mussel, devastate native organisms and infrastructure and cost taxpayers billions of dollars annually. The study is scheduled for the June 1 issue of ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology.
In the study, Dorin Boldor and colleagues point out that invasive species often travel in ballast tanks of international cargo ships. Ships pump sea water into these tanks for stability when a vessel leaves port with little or no cargo. They dump the water at their destination — along with zebra mussels, Asian clams and other organisms that may pose environmental risks.
The new study describes development and laboratory-scale tests of a continuous microwave system which, much like a kitchen microwave oven, used heat to inactivate zooplankton, algae, and oyster larvae in salt water.
Researchers found that a 30-second zap, followed by a 200-second holding period, removed all marine life. Boldor noted that the high heating rates, low operating costs, and effectiveness in hazy water distinguish it from conventional heating methods. Article
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