A giant plant, an example of invaders
2005/10/21 Roa Zubia, Guillermo - Elhuyar Zientzia
German and Czech biologists investigate invasive species through the study of the Giant Urdanaza plant (Heracleum mantegazzianum), a plant that is four meters long. It has its origin in Caucasus, but it is invading in several places in Europe. In addition to being invasive, it has very appropriate characteristics for this research, among which it emphasizes that its sweat causes burns and its leaves are very wide, so it does not grow closer to the dead specimens. According to experts, soil erosion around the dead plants is very fast. These characteristics allow biologists to easily analyze the extension of the plant. You only have to use aerial photos to see which area is diffused. Research begins in a territory between the Czech Republic and Bavaria. The aim of biologists is to develop a theoretical model that announces expansion. For the moment, the method has only been tested in small territories, but in order to differentiate the local characteristics from the results, they will expand the project to more territories. Perhaps this research serves to know how to control the expansion of the giant Urdanaza. And perhaps this result facilitates the investigation of other species.
Photo: André Künzelmann/UFZ
