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Great Lakes
Article:
Researchers seek cure for noxious
wetlands invader
By Erin Kosnac
The Times Herald
08/30/03
CLAY TWP. -- The rare native-plant communities at St.
Clair Flats are being threatened -- but it's not by industry
or development. It's by nature.
Phragmites, a cane grass hybrid from Europe, has invaded
shorelines in southeast Michigan, displacing native vegetation
and possibly driving out wildlife.
Researchers, led by Kurt Getsinger, an aquatic research
biologist from Mississippi with the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, have been investigating the problem for two
years at the St. Clair Flats Wildlife Area. The area in
the St. Clair River delta roughly includes Dickinson Island,
St. Johns Marsh, and parts of Algonac State Park and Harsens
Island.
At a meeting Thursday, researchers said they achieved
some success with chemical treatments. But they said chemicals
alone are not the solution.
Ernie Kafcas, wildlife biologist with the state Department
of Natural Resources, said a plant pathologist recently
was brought in to see if natural pathogens or insects
could put stress on the phragmites. Burning also is being
examined.
"When you have things like phragmites moving in
and pushing out native plants, obviously there's concern
that you're going to lose a habitat that's rare to begin
with," he said.
Kafcas said as the phragmites drives out other vegetation,
it becomes the only type of plant life in the area.
He said phragmites' driving out a cattail stand would
be an example. As the woody phragmites grows, it becomes
hard and impenetrable, causing the new environment to
detract waterfowl because it is no longer the soft marsh
the cattail stand provided. But the new environment would
attract rodents, which would enjoy the coverage the plant
provides.
Michigan Duck Hunters Association -- Blue Water is one
of the organizations funding the research. President Kenneth
Martin of Richmond Township said his group is dedicated
to protecting the habitat.
"Knowing that phragmites is such an invasive species,
we want to do whatever we can to keep the diversity of
the Great Lakes region," he said.
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