Eurasian milfoil is a delicate looking flora that was once a common plant to find in fresh water fish tanks.
All The Same, It did not stay there. Now it is believed to be an invasive species that threatens North American fresh water streams, rivers, ponds and lakes.
In its domestic Eurasian surroundings it is a comparatively innocent plant (but still a bit of a pest) but here, out of its normal waters, it takes over and destroys ecosystems, clogs water intakes and power plants, and makes them undesirable for recreational purposes.
Several hypotheses are around that explain its introduction. One is that it caught a ride on the ballast of a ship coming from Europe or Asia. That is a good guess. When they tested boats leaving occupied water, 25 percent carried some milfoil with it. The other main possibility is it was introduced by people discarding aquarium plants or packing material used to ship live worms.
The most hazardous thing about this plant is that it can adapt to live in virtually every kind of marine habitat in North America. It can live in the cold of Washington State or the warmth of Florida. From fresh waters of the Rockies to the salty waters of the salt marshes it can flourish. To make its life easier, nothing seems to like eating it.
Once established it spreads quickly in waters that range from 2 feet to up to thirty feet, matting up just below the surface and choking out the native vegetation. Some floras like millet are given small chance to grow, which causes problems because they are a food source for many and a home for small aquatic animals. This matted growth also causes trouble for any mammals or birds that fish for their food. Further more, the vast mats keep the wind from properly aerating the water and suffocating adult fish as well as helping spawn algae blooms which further aggravate the problem.
These plants are problematic to individuals as well. Not only does milfoil reduce water quality but the mats make shoreline swimming hopeless. Milfoil impedes fish breeding, which means fewer fishermen. Milfoil is also a problem for watermen because it can become entangled on the engine, cause risks for water skiers and block navigation hazards from the boatmen view.
Residential Districts and companies are also put at a disadvantage because of this small water plant. Water intakes or over flows can get clogged leading to shortages in some areas and flooding in others. Dams and electricity output can also be affected if the water plant mats get caught up in the dams.
Milfoil control has been challenging. In General poisonous substances are out of the question as they destroy the very ecosystem they were meant to save. Manual removing the plant isn’t fully productive because the bits that break off can form new plants somewhere else. For that reason the large mechanical harvesters are only used in the worst cases and then only as a first step. Milfoil has been more successfully removed by vacuum dredging, which can pick up any damaged pieces left behind. A weevil maybe the answer to the milfoil dilemma as it love to eat the water plant and is a natural way to fight the weed.
Milfoil is just one type of unwanted species that has overstayed its welcome; many other invasive aquatic plants are still thriving across the country. When plants or animals are introduced outside their natural environment, you can’t foresee the significances.
