Positive News Today

Positive News Today
Global News

Environmental News Network – Newly Banned Beach Weed Threatens Sea Turtle Nesting Sites

October 29, 2020033
Share0

With this year’s sea turtle nesting season nearing its conclusion in Florida, many of the protected species’ newest hatchlings have completed their first big journey from their sandy nests to the water.

 

With this year’s sea turtle nesting season nearing its conclusion in Florida, many of the protected species’ newest hatchlings have completed their first big journey from their sandy nests to the water.

But a crawling plant introduced to some Florida beaches may threaten their nesting grounds, and University of Florida experts are attempting to mitigate the risk before the plant overtakes the coasts.

The visually attractive beach vitex, scientifically known as Vitex rotundifolia, sprawls well across the turtles’ favorite nesting site, sand dunes, and sprouts clusters of delicate purple flowers. In the United States, the plant grows natively only in Hawaii, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Its invasiveness was quickly apparent when introduced to the contiguous United States, said Deah Lieurance, a UF/IFAS Extension scientist who coordinates the UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas.

The woody vine outcompetes nearby plants and threatens coastal habitats, tendencies that prompted Lieurance to petition the Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services (FDACS) to add it to the state’s noxious weed list. The plant was officially added in the latest update, which makes it now illegal to purchase the plant in Florida or move it into or within state boundaries.

 

Continue reading at University of Florida.

Image via University of Florida.

Source

Share0
previous post
Podcast series from J-PAL North America shares stories behind the impact of summer jobs in the US
next post
Environmental News Network – Summer Road Trip Finds Small Streams Have Big Impacts on Great Lakes

Related posts

Japan’s Prime Minister Apologizes Over Scandal Tarring His Term

TheEarthLabFebruary 28, 2021

Driving immunometabolism to control lung infection

TheEarthLabAugust 5, 2020

Bee disease spreading via flowers

TheEarthLabAugust 1, 2020
Click to comment

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Recent Posts

  • We Use 6 Billion Face Masks a Day—But Scientists Have a Genius Way to Turn Them Into Roads
  • ‘Rail Roko’ protest: Delhi Police steps up security near tracks
  • Chandigarh-based Motia group acquires 2.25 acre at Aerocity to develop hotel
  • Bharat Petroleum tries to cut dependence on LPG from the Middle East
  • ‘Minari’ wins best foreign-language film, but not without controversy.

Archives

  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020

Subscrible

Subscribe my Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

  • News
  • Projects
  • About
  • Contact
  • TV Pitch
FacebookTwitterInstagram
@2020 - thelab.earth. All Right Reserved.
theLAB.earth
  • Global
    • Global News
    • Global Media
    • Global Events
    • Global Projects
  • Energy
    • Energy News
    • Energy Media
    • Energy Events
    • Energy Projects
  • Water
    • Water News
    • Water Media
    • Water Events
    • Water Projects
  • Human Kindness
    • Human Kindness News
    • Human Kindness Media
    • Human Kindness Events
    • Human Kindness Projects
  • Projects
logo
  • Global
    • Global News
    • Global Media
    • Global Events
    • Global Projects
  • Energy
    • Energy News
    • Energy Media
    • Energy Events
    • Energy Projects
  • Water
    • Water News
    • Water Media
    • Water Events
    • Water Projects
  • Human Kindness
    • Human Kindness News
    • Human Kindness Media
    • Human Kindness Events
    • Human Kindness Projects
  • Projects
@2020 - thelab.earth. All Right Reserved.
FacebookTwitterInstagram