Invasive species on the Prairies take a number of forms, including insects, animals, and plant life. And each one of them does damage in their own unique way, primarily by pushing native species out of the environment. That has certainly been the case with European Buckthorn.
Known by many names such as Common Buckthorn or Purging Buckthorn, people in Saskatchewan know this devilish bush primarily as European Buckthorn. We’re most familiar with it as an ornamental plant but it can be devastating to natural Prairie landscapes.
How did the European Buckthorn end up here?
As the name suggests, you can primarily find this plant across most of Europe. But it’s also native to both western Asia and northwest Africa. It actually calls a large portion of the planet home, likely the impacts were not understood when moving it here. .
During the course of European colonization efforts, familiar plants were brought by settlers to North America. The earliest indications of European Buckthorn being established in this part of the world was in the 1800s, though it may have been even earlier than that.
It started as an ornamental plant in parts of the United States and primarily in Ontario. Thanks to birds eating the berries and transporting the seeds, it spread quickly and became part of the scenery quite unintentionally. Now, it can be found across the continent.
What’s the problem with European Buckthorn?
Like many invasive species, there’s nothing natural in the environment to keep European Buckthorn under control. The seeds and leaves are poisonous to pretty much everything but birds who only eat the berries, meaning nothing here is really eating the plants.
On top of that, it’s a particularly hearty species that grows quickly, taking over the environment from native species that
wildlife use for food, shelter, and more. The negative impacts on any area it appears in are apparent and can become drastic in a short period of time.
What can we do about European Buckthorn?
That’s a tough one. This is a plant that sprouts quickly, distributes a lot of seeds, and the cycle repeats itself. A lot of people try cutting it off at the roots, then use herbicides to kill it off. That can be an effective strategy in some cases.
If you want to avoid using herbicides, the best thing to do is get your hands dirty and dig it out of the ground, roots and all. Then, repeat the process whenever you spot new growth from seeds. It’s not exactly high tech but it gets the job done.
Meewasin periodically conducts volunteer sessions on the lands we manage to help remove European Buckthorn from the ecosystem and we’d love your help. Just remember to always wear gloves when handling this species, do not eat the berries, and stay off of private property.
If you have any questions about European Buckthorn or any other invasive species, please contact Meewasin at (306) 665-6887 or meewasin@meewasin.com.
Imagine going about your day as usual, and an aggressive alien presence slowly starts to take away the resources you need to thrive, deteriorating your livelihood and threaten your ability to carry on your own kind. Scary right? Well this is exactly what invasive, introduced, species do to the native species in our environment.
Different types of alien plants, animals, birds, aquatic critters, and bugs can each play a part in the decline of the beneficial, healthy, native species in any natural area, like the Meewasin Valley. Invasive species are the second most significant threat to biodiversity, which provides functioning ecosystems that supply oxygen, clean air and water, pollination of plants, pest control, wastewater treatment and many other ecosystem services, in addition to the recreation activities of various wildlife watching activities!
In honour of Invasive Species Week from February 22 to February 26, 2021, we are featuring some of the most detrimental invasive species in the Prairie Provinces: Prussian Carp, European Buckthorn, Emerald Ash Borer, and Wild Boar (Feral Pigs).
The Cloning Fish – Prussian Carp
Prussian Carp is an invasive species that can clone itself. Yep you read that right CLONE itself! And no… it isn’t part of a sci-fi movie plot! Prussian Carp is an invasive fish species that is actually able to clone itself through a process called gynogenesis – making each individual fish an exact duplicate. Prussian Carp steal milt from related species found floating around in rivers and lakes, but doesn’t actually contribute any genetic material. This is part of the reason why it can be so detrimental to native species, since the carp is taking the milt of fish that might otherwise be used to fertilize their own species.
Prussian Carp are even more dangerous as they can live up to 10 years, lay almost 1 million eggs in a year, out compete native fish for food sources, and can survive extreme environmental conditions, such as low oxygen levels or high amounts of algae. Other interesting fact is that Prussian Carp are so closely related to goldfish that you have to use genetics to tell them apart! They have also been tested for use in commercial fish sticks in Pakistan.
The Bad Berry – European Buckthorn
European (Common) Buckthorn (Rhamnus carthartica) is a deciduous small tree or shrub, native to Europe prevalent in riparian forests of the Meewasin Valley, urban parks, natural areas, and in backyards within Saskatoon and surrounding area. These trees or shrubs crowd and shade out native understory plants, eventually displacing native trees and shrubs. It has been found up to 60 km north, 20 km south and throughout the City of Saskatoon, and spreads very quickly.
Although it looks like a tasty, nutritious berry, humans, mammals, rodents and birds alike actually cannot digest European Buckthorn berries as they contain a strong laxative that causes birds to expel the seeds after only about one hour after ingesting. Because of the easy spread of them, Meewasin works hard to control this invasive species as soon as it’s identified in the Meewasin Valley. Over the last 20 years, Meewasin has controlled well over 2 million stems of European Buckthorn! Check out our conservation page for more information about our efforts and program to control European Buckthorn.
The Boring Beetle – Emerald Ashborer
Source: winnipeg.ca
Emrald Ashborer is a metallic, wood-boring beetle native to East Asia and is spread primarily by the movement of infested firewood. Stopping the movement of infested firewood is very important because once infested firewood is introduced, it is very difficult to detect and manage. The adult beetles can fly, and spread locally. Up to 99% of all ash trees are killed within 8-10 years once the beetle arrives in an area. (1) After an infestation, remaining beetles can kill new growth as well, which jeopardizes forest recovery.
Ash trees are what helps give shade and tree cover in Saskatoon and similar areas, so this beetle’s presence would be devastating to the urban forest in Saskatoon, in addition to homeowner heating/cooling costs, and air quality. (1) Ash are as common as elm and we have already lost a number of elm because of another invasive pest, the cottony ash psyllid. Populations of Emerald Ashborer exist in Manitoba, but currently Saskatchewan does not have any reports of it, so let’s keep it that way!
The Appalling Pigs – Wild Boar
Source: Global News
There are no native pig species in Canada but we now have many of them here in Saskatchewan. Wild boar were imported to Canada in the 1980s and 1990s to be raised on farms but they escaped into the wild and have adapted for forested, wetland, and riverbank habitats which are negatively impacted and adversely affect nesting birds and other wildlife species.
Many thought that wild boar would never survive a Saskatchewan winter, but they are large (up to 300 kg or about 600 pounds!) and very furry, and make “pigloos” in the snow to stay warm during the winter season. These “pigloos” are made by the pigs mounding cattails and burrowing deep into the snow caught by the cattails, creating tunnels within it and using the snow as insulation. There have not yet been any confirmed sightings in Saskatoon but there have been many in the surrounding area and we know they can readily adapt to urban environments.
Wild Boar are reproducing quickly and expanding their range extensively. Their combination of wild and domestic traits — including their high tolerance for cold and ability to birth large litters — may have bred “super pigs,” says Ryan Brook, a wildlife researcher with the University of Saskatchewan. (3) “The growing wild pig population is not an ecological disaster waiting to happen,” Ryan Brook, the University of Saskatchewan’s lead researcher for the Canadian Wild Pig Project told USask News, “it is already happening.” (2)
If you happen to see a wild pig, be cautious as you would with any other large mammal like a moose or a cougar. Leave the area and report the observation. Call 911 if there is an immediate threat. In most cases wild pigs will avoid you and run away.
Conclusion
Many invasive species can become extremely damaging to native species, which is why it is so important to take action against them as soon as they are identified in a local setting. Part of Meewasin’s conservation work is focused on early detection and controlling these invasive species to limit their spread and effect on the local wildlife populations and biodiversity.
These different types of alien plant, mammal, aquatic, and bug species can each play a part in the decline of the beneficial, healthy, native species in the nature that you enjoy. Because invasive species are the second most significant threat to biodiversity, please report any species at the Government of Saskatchewan’s reporting and tracking webpage, or the iMap invasives app, and join Meewasin’s volunteer list to hear about upcoming opportunities to get involved in invasive species removal activities.
We would like to thank Shayna Hamilton, Jeff Boone, and Dr. Ryan Brooks for contributing information to this blog.
to limit their spread and effect on the local wildlife populations and biodiversity.