Ali smo resnično osveščeni o posledicah, ki jih te invazivne vrste prinašajo s seboj?
Mnoge vrste so bile namerno uvedene v naše kraje, z namenom, da bi človek iz njih iztržil določeno korist. Ali se kdaj vprašamo, ali smo res razumeli celoten obseg teh posegov v naravo? Na primer, gojenje rastlin za krmo ali okrasnih rastlin za estetski užitek – ali smo vedeli, kako lahko te rastline v novem okolju povzročijo nepredvidljive spremembe?
Kaj sploh je tujerodna vrsta? Ali so vse tujerodne vrste invazivne? -Tujerodna vrsta je organizem, ki se nahaja izven svojega naravnega habitata in je vnesen v novo okolje, kjer lahko povzroči škodo domorodnim vrstam in ekosistemom. Te vrste pa lahko postanejo invazivne, kar pomeni, da se zelo uspešno razmnožujejo in širijo na račun domorodnih vrst. Posledično lahko povzročijo škodo lokalnim ekosistemom, prizadenejo domorodne vrste, spremenijo strukturo habitatov in imajo druge neprijetne učinke. Nahajajo se tudi v vašem domačem okolju, pa se tega sploh ne zavedate. Še več, veliko od teh vrst ste tudi najbrž že videli na lastne oči.
Vendar pa ni vse povezano z namernimi dejanji. Številne tujerodne vrste so se v naše okolje naselile nenamerno, pogosto prenašane s prevoznimi sredstvi in embalažo. Kako lahko preprečimo nenamerno širjenje teh vrst? Ali se zavedamo, da je naša vsakodnevna uporaba izdelkov lahko dejavnik, ki vpliva na ekosistem na globalni ravni?
Kako pa lahko preprečimo širjenje tujerodnih vrst? Širjenje lahko preprečimo z veliko dejanji:
- Lastniki vrtov: izberi neinvazivne vrste okrasnih rastlin iz našega okolja. Pri sejanju ne sejte mešanic semen okrasnih rastlin, kjer so pogosto invazivne vrste. Plevel in ostanke, pa odlagajte v kompost in NE v naravo.
- Lastniki gozdov: če ste lastniki gozdov spremljajte stanje in ob pojavu svoja opažanja sporočite v spletno aplikacijo Invazivke. Bodite tudi previdni pri nasipavanju prsti in peska.
- Lastniki hišnih živali: Hišne živali izbirajmo odgovorno in se pred nakupom poučimo o ustrezni oskrbi.
- Ribiči: čistite svojo ribiško opremo, saj s tem preprečit širjenje tujerodnih vrst v druga vodna okolja in telesa.
- Popotniki in turisti: ob vrnitvi s potovanja poskrbite za čisto opremo in obutev, da s seboj ne prinesemo tujerodnih vrst.
- Gradbena podjetja: tujerodne vrste se razmnožujejo tudi po gradbiščih. To lahko preprečimo s čiščenjem delovnih strojem, pri njihovem premiku na novo gradbišče.
Za vsa območja, kjer najdemo tujerodne vrste pa je ključno, da jih odstranjujemo pred semenenjem, da ne bi še bolj razširili semen. Rastline namreč lahko ponovno odženejo iz korenik. Zato jih morate v čim večji meri izkopati in oddati v sežig ali center za zbiranje odpadkov.
Eden izmed najpogostejših invazivk so japonski dresnik, žlezava nedotika, ambrozija in kanadska zlata rozga.
JAPONSKI DRESNIK
Izhaja iz Japonske, v Evropo in Slovenijo so ga v 19. stoletju zanesli Nizozemci. Okrasno so ga začeli uporabljati v vrtovih in parkih. Zaradi njegovega hitrega razrasta po Evropi in svetu sodi med 100 najinvazivnejših vrst. V Sloveniji ga je zato prepovedano saditi. Gre za nestrupen grm, visok do 2 m, ki se nahaja pretežno ob bregovih rek, železniških nasipih in obcestnih robov.
ŽLEZAVA NEDOTIKA
Izvira iz Himalaje, v Sloveniji pa se je prvič pojavila leta 1935. Ta enoletnica, visoka do 2m je v Evropo in Slovenijo prišla zaradi njenih okrasnih cvetov. V Sloveniji je najbolj razširjena v nižinskih in gričevnatih delih osrednje in vzhodne Slovenije. Uspeva ob bregovih rek, cestnih jarkih, močvirnih gozdovih in na poplavnih območjih.
AMBROZIJA
KANADSKA ZLATA ROZGA
Po najinem mnenju so invazivne vrste kot nezaželjeni gostje, ki vstopijo v naš dom in začnejo spreminjati našo rutino. Čeprav se nam na prvi pogled zdijo neškodljive, lahko sčasoma povzročijo veliko škodo, ki jo je težko popraviti. Zato se nama zdi pomembno, da se zavedamo njihove prisotnosti in sprejmemo ukrepe za njihovo nadzorovanje in odstranitev, preden postanejo prevelik problem. Vsak izmed nas mora ali pa bo pripomoran narediti spremembe na podlagi tujerodk in invazivk.
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ENGLISH:
Are we really aware of the consequences that invasive species bring with them?
Many species have been deliberately introduced into our localities with the intention that man should derive some benefit from them. Do we ever ask ourselves whether we really understand the full extent of these interventions in nature? For example, growing plants for fodder or ornamental plants for aesthetic pleasure—do we know how these plants can cause unpredictable changes in a new environment?
What is a non-native species anyway? Are all non-native species invasive? A non-native species is an organism that is outside of its natural habitat and is introduced into a new environment, where it can cause damage to native species and ecosystems. However, these species can become invasive, which means that they reproduce and spread very successfully at the expense of autochthonous species. As a result, they can cause damage to local ecosystems, affect endemic species, alter habitat structure and have other unpleasant effects. They can also be present within the confines of your household without you even realising it. What’s more, you’ve probably seen many of these species with your own eyes.
However, not everything has to do with deliberate actions. Many non-native species have been introduced into our environment unintentionally, often through transport. How can we prevent the unintentional spread of these species? Are we aware that our daily use of products can be a factor that affects the ecosystem on a global scale?
And how can we prevent the spread of non-native species? There are many ways to prevent the spread:
Garden owners: choose non-invasive ornamental plant species from our local environment. When sowing, do not sow seed mixtures of ornamentals, which often contain invasive species. Weeds and debris should be disposed of and composted, but not outdoors.
– Forest owners: if you are a forest owner, monitor the situation and report your observations to the Invasives web app when they occur. Also be careful when spreading soil and sand.
– Pet owners: choose pets responsibly and educate yourself about the proper care before buying.
– Fishermen: clean your fishing gear to prevent the spread of exotic species to other aquatic environments and bodies.
– Travellers and tourists: make sure your equipment and footwear are clean when you return from a trip to avoid bringing invasive species with you.
– Construction companies: non-native species also proliferate on construction sites. This can be prevented by cleaning the work machines when they are moved to a new construction site.
However, for all areas where the introduced species are found, it is essential to remove them before they take seed to prevent them from spreading further. This is because they can drive plants back from their rhizomes. You should therefore dig them up as much as possible and take them to an incinerator or waste collection centre.
Some of the most common invasives are the Japanese knotweed, glandular nettle, ragweed and Canadian goldenrod.
JAPANESE ASPEN (lat. Reynoutria japonica)
Native to Japan, it was introduced to Europe and Slovenia by the Dutch in the 19th century. It was used ornamentally in gardens and parks. Its rapid spread across Europe and the world places it among the top 100 most invasive species. It is therefore banned from being planted in Slovenia. It is a non-toxic shrub, up to 2 metres tall, and found mainly along river banks, railway embankments and roadsides.
GLABROUS NETTLE (lat. Impatiens glandulifera)
Native to the Himalayas, it first appeared in Slovenia in 1935. This annual plant, up to 2m tall, came to Europe and Slovenia for its ornamental flowers. In Slovenia, it is commonly found in the lowland and hilly parts of central and eastern Slovenia, thriving along river banks, road ditches, swamp forests and in floodplains.
AMBROSIA (lat. Ambrosia)
CANADIAN GOLDENROD (lat. Solidago canadensis)
In our view, invasive species are like unwanted guests who enter our homes and start changing our routines. Although they may seem harmless at first sight, they can, over time, cause a lot of damage that is difficult to repair. That is why we feel it is important to be aware of their presence and take steps to control and remove them before they become too big of a problem. Each one of us must or will help to make changes on the basis of alien and invasive species.