Typha × glauca

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Typha ×glauca
Typha x glauca.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Typhaceae
Genus: Typha
Species:
T. ×glauca
Binomial name
Typha ×glauca

Typha × glauca is a hybrid species of plant originating as a cross between T. angustifolia and T. latifolia. It shows invasive behavior in the Midwestern United States [1]

Typha x glauca is an invasive hybrid species that originates as a cross between parent species, Typha angustifolia and Typha latifolia. T. latifolia is a broad-leaved cattail and T. angustifolia is a narrow-leaved cattail. [2] The structure of Typha x glauca is an intermediate of its two parent species. It is an erect and emergent wetland plant that typically has an underwater base. Its habitat consists of wetlands, lakeshores, river backwaters, roadside ditches, disturbed wet areas, consistently damp patches of yards, areas with wet soil, and nutrient rich or slightly saline soils. [3] Identification of this species can be difficult as it is a hybrid species and may be confused with its parent species. [3] These cattails are typically between four and twelve inches. [3]

Its leaves originate at the base of the stems and spread outward as they rise. [3] The leaves are long, swordlike, and spongy and have parallel veins. [3] The hybrid cattail’s leaves are typically 0.4-0.6” wide and often taller than the parent plants. [3] The top of the leaf sheath has thin, ear-shaped lobes at the junction with the blade that often disappear in the summer. [3] The inflorescences appear as a velvety brown, cylindrical spike that is located at the ends of the stem. [3] The male portion is located above the female portion. The hybrid cattail has a 0.2-2” gap between the male and female flowers, a longer and thicker female flower section, and longer leaves. [3] There is one seed in each of the single, tiny fruits in each flower. One plant can produce up to 250,000 seeds which would be wind-dispersed. [3]

There are three cattail species that are commonly found in the upper Midwest of the United states. The common cattail (Typha latifolia) is native throughout North America and Eurasia. The narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia) is native to Eurasia but now well established throughout the United States. These cattails are abundant in the Midwest where they hybridize to form Typha x glauca. [3] The original range of the hybrid includes the entire range of its parental species. It inhabits and invades wetland regions throughout the upper midwest of the United States. [4]

The Typha species of cattail has been found to have a significantly high tolerance for some metals. [5] These metals include copper and nickel. It appears that the plant has an internal tolerance mechanism for these metals that is inherent in the species. [5] The Typha x glauca hybrid is also known for its ability to tolerate a variety of water depths as well as salinity levels. In terms of weather, the plant is also able to withstand widely variable hydroperiods and drought conditions. [6] It does so by producing rhizomes that extend 1–2 meters below the soil surface, allowing it to survive prolonged inundation. It has been found to be able to survive temperatures as low as -13 degrees Celsius, and occupy an altitudinal range from 0 to 1800 meters. [7] The plant seedlings are also able to tolerate anaerobic conditions, however, mature plants are not. [8]

Invasion Tactics

This specific hybrid is known for its aggressiveness which aids its ability to invade new areas. It is able to spread rapidly and dominate the area, creating a large ecological impact. [2] It is thought to promote dominance through two ecological mechanisms, modifying habitat conditions through litter, and the live plants altering conditions and outcompeting for resources. Typha is known to have a high litter biomass, as the plant is highly productive and slow to decompose. [9] The high biomass of litter alters conditions by reducing the amount of space available for other competing organisms, changing soil temperature, and reducing the amount of light in the habitat. The living plants then compete for limited resources such as light, nutrients, and space. The rapid spread of this organism limits other plant diversity, and allows for it to achieve high dominance in the area. [6] It also grows densely, which in addition to the large excess of litter the plant leaves behind, is responsible for the limited light availability for other organisms growing in the area. [2]

Ecological Role of Typha x glauca

The Typha x glauca plant species can invade a variety of different habitats, from freshwater marshes to wet meadows to roadsides. [3] This plant requires an underwater base in order to survive in that habitat, which is the factor that all these habitats have in common. By using its invasion tactics, the cattail hybrid is able to quickly spread and displace other species of plants. They are an ecological threat to native species like the Typha latifolia. [10] The threat of this hybrid species has also grown, as it has become more aggressive, adapting to new habitats like rivers, lakes, and streams. The dense growth pattern of this plant species is monotypic, affecting the biodiversity of the habitat and limiting the ability of other organisms to use the habitat. This congests the open water habitat that is needed by waterfowl and other wildlife species that inhabit the area. [10] Additionally, the excessive evapotranspiration of this plant species can deplete water supplies and alter the microbial community structure of the soil. [11] This can lead to a lower water quality and increases in nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil. [12]

Although this hybrid plant species poses a threat to other competing species, it can also be a vital resource for marsh-dwelling animals [3] . Because of the hybrid plants’ high growth rate and high litter biomass, it can be used as a great source of food and shelter for these animals. This plant species also has a number of traits that make it desirable for remediating industrial sites. This includes improving water quality for wastewater treatment by increasing denitrification and increasing sediment nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations [13] . The plant’s high tolerance to heavy metals also makes it an appropriate choice for remediating industrial sites [14] .

The Typha x glauca plant also has a number of predators, including caterpillars of the moths Arzama opbliqua and Nonagria oblonga [10] ). The leaves and stems of the plant are also consumed by Aphids and Colandra pertinaux, more commonly referred to as the snout beetle.​​ The muskrat and other mammals use the plant for food as well which has a large influence on the plant’s population density. The muskrat population has also been recorded in the past to eat such a large amount of the cattails to set its growth back by a full season. The leaves and stems can also be utilized by the muskrat and birds to build houses and nests, respectively.

Economic Value

The leaves and other parts of the Typha x glauca plant have been found to be of possible economic value. The leaves can be used for weaving and other parts of the plant such as the rhizomes and pollen have been eaten in the past by indigenous Americans and Europeans. [11] The pollen is a protein-rich substance and the rhizomes are up to 80% starch. However, there are potential risks for eating this plant, including toxic oil poisoning if the water the plant grows in has been contaminated. Due to the plant’s tendencies to accumulate heavy metals and other toxins it would make these plant products particularly dangerous in areas where water contamination may have occurred. The high environmental tolerance and productivity rates of this plant species hybrid also makes it an “attractive species for biofuel production”, [15] which is a very lucrative business as well.

Control

Although it would seem ideal to eliminate the hybrid cattails from high-quality natural areas, this proves to be too difficult as cattail populations are often too large and the intermingling between species makes it difficult to differentiate. Due to this, cattail populations are managed to control their spread and density, rather than their total elimination. [3] In general, fifty percent vegetation countered with fifty percent open water allows for a diverse habitat with a variety of wildlife. [3] Typha x glauca can be controlled through a number of mechanical and chemical means.

Mechanical methods of controlling the hybrid include cutting or scraping. Stems should be cut in winter or early spring to allow for natural spring flooding to submerge and suffocate cattails and prevent its growth during the growing season. [3] Cutting the stems below water has been demonstrated to effectively kill Typha x glauca. [16] Alternatively, pulling can be used as a method of control; however its effectiveness is limited to young cattails with underdeveloped root systems. [3] Mechanical removal of the hybrid has been proven to increase native plant diversity and reduce the dominance of Typha x glauca. [16] Prescribed fire is another method of control that can be used. This method is also most effective when performed in the winter and early spring. Control is achieved through burning the thatch layer and effectively stressing the plants. [3] This is particularly effective prior to a spring flood in which the increasing water levels would aid in control efforts. Grazing by cattle is another method of control that can effectively control the hybrid through a combination of grazing and trampling. [3] Chemically, herbicides can be used, but are a last resort. Aquatically certified glyphosate or lmazapyr herbicides are those most commonly used. [3] This method of control is typically avoided as it can have a detrimental impact on surrounding, non-target species. [16]

Related Research Articles

<i>Typha</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Typhaceae

Typha is a genus of about 30 species of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Typhaceae. These plants have a variety of common names, in British English as bulrush or reedmace, in American English as reed, cattail, or punks, in Australia as cumbungi or bulrush, in Canada as bulrush or cattail, and in New Zealand as reed, cattail, bulrush or raupo. Other taxa of plants may be known as bulrush, including some sedges in Scirpus and related genera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aquatic plant</span> Plant that has adapted to living in an aquatic environment

Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or macrophytes to distinguish them from algae and other microphytes. A macrophyte is a plant that grows in or near water and is either emergent, submergent, or floating. In lakes and rivers macrophytes provide cover for fish, substrate for aquatic invertebrates, produce oxygen, and act as food for some fish and wildlife.

<i>Phragmites</i> Genus of grasses commonly known as reeds

Phragmites is a genus of four species of large perennial reed grasses found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world.

<i>Bromus tectorum</i> Species of grass

Bromus tectorum, known as downy brome, drooping brome or cheatgrass, is a winter annual grass native to Europe, southwestern Asia, and northern Africa, but has become invasive in many other areas. It now is present in most of Europe, southern Russia, Japan, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Greenland, North America and western Central Asia. In the eastern US B. tectorum is common along roadsides and as a crop weed, but usually does not dominate an ecosystem. It has become a dominant species in the Intermountain West and parts of Canada, and displays especially invasive behavior in the sagebrush steppe ecosystems where it has been listed as noxious weed. B. tectorum often enters the site in an area that has been disturbed, and then quickly expands into the surrounding area through its rapid growth and prolific seed production.

<i>Salix <span style="font-style:normal;">×</span> fragilis</i> Species of tree

Salix × fragilis, with the common names crack willow and brittle willow, is a hybrid species of willow native to Europe and Western Asia. It is native to riparian habitats, usually found growing beside rivers and streams, and in marshes and water meadow channels. It is a hybrid between Salix euxina and Salix alba, and is very variable, with forms linking both parents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leech Lake</span> Lake in the state of Minnesota, United States

Leech Lake is a lake located in north central Minnesota, United States. It is southeast of Bemidji, located mainly within the Leech Lake Indian Reservation, and completely within the Chippewa National Forest. It is used as a reservoir. The lake is the third largest in Minnesota, covering 102,947.83 acres (416.6151 km2) with 195 miles (314 km) of shoreline and has a maximum depth of 156 feet (48 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constructed wetland</span> Artificial wetland to treat municipal or industrial wastewater, greywater or stormwater runoff

A constructed wetland is an artificial wetland to treat sewage, greywater, stormwater runoff or industrial wastewater. It may also be designed for land reclamation after mining, or as a mitigation step for natural areas lost to land development. Constructed wetlands are engineered systems that use the natural functions of vegetation, soil, and organisms to provide secondary treatment to wastewater. The design of the constructed wetland has to be adjusted according to the type of wastewater to be treated. Constructed wetlands have been used in both centralized and decentralized wastewater systems. Primary treatment is recommended when there is a large amount of suspended solids or soluble organic matter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aquatic ecosystem</span> Ecosystem in a body of water

An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem found in and around a body of water, in contrast to land-based terrestrial ecosystems. Aquatic ecosystems contain communities of organisms—aquatic life—that are dependent on each other and on their environment. The two main types of aquatic ecosystems are marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems. Freshwater ecosystems may be lentic ; lotic ; and wetlands.

<i>Typha latifolia</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Typhaceae

Typha latifolia, better known as broadleaf cattail, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus Typha. It is found as a native plant species in North and South America, Eurasia, and Africa. The T. latifolia genome was published in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydrosere</span>

A hydrosere is a plant succession which occurs in an area of fresh water such as in oxbow lakes and kettle lakes. In time, an area of open freshwater will naturally dry out, ultimately becoming woodland. During this change, a range of different landtypes such as swamp and marsh will succeed each other.

<i>Arundo donax</i> Species of plant

Arundo donax is a tall perennial cane. It is one of several so-called reed species. It has several common names including giant cane, elephant grass, carrizo, arundo, Spanish cane, Colorado river reed, wild cane, and giant reed. Arundo and donax are respectively the old Latin and Greek names for reed.

<i>Typha angustifolia</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Typhaceae

Typha angustifolia L. is a perennial herbaceous plant of genus Typha. This cattail is an "obligate wetland" species that is commonly found in the northern hemisphere in fresh water or brackish locations.

<i>Phragmites australis</i> Species of grass commonly known as reed

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juncus xiphioides</span> Species of grass

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<i>Bolboschoenus fluviatilis</i> Species of flowering plant in the sedge family Cyperaceae

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<i>Typha domingensis</i> Species of plant

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Nancy Tuchman is an American environmental scientist, educator, and activist. She specializes on human impacts on aquatic ecosystem function, with a focus on coastal Great Lake ecosystems. Tuchman is dedicated to raising public awareness about issues of global climate change and education. Her dedication is shown through her thirty years of educating students in environmental sciences at Loyola University Chicago. In 2013 she founded the Institute of Environmental Sustainability on Loyola University's campus - which later became the School of Environmental Sustainability in late 2020 - and is a driver of environmental change and progress in the Chicago area.

Biomass and waste biomass fibres are derived from renewable sources, where the former is grown as the main crop for fibre production and the latter is derived from waste products such as agricultural residue, municipal solid waste, and industrial waste. WBFs are abundant and readily available, making them a potential source for cleaner production of textile materials for apparel and industrial applications. There are many fibres that can be considered as WBFs, however, canola and cattail are the two major fibres that have potential for apparel and industrial applications.

References

  1. ↑ Larkin, Daniel J.; Freyman, Monika J.; Lishawa, Shane C.; Geddes, Pamela; Tuchman, Nancy C. (2012). "Mechanisms of dominance by the invasive hybrid cattail Typha × glauca". Biological Invasions. 14: 65–77. doi:10.1007/s10530-011-0059-y.
  2. 1 2 3 Larkin, Daniel J.; Freyman, Monika J.; Lishawa, Shane C.; Geddes, Pamela; Tuchman, Nancy C. (2012-01-01). "Mechanisms of dominance by the invasive hybrid cattail Typha × glauca". Biological Invasions. 14 (1): 65–77. doi:10.1007/s10530-011-0059-y. ISSN   1573-1464.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Czarapata, Elizabeth J. (2005-08-29). Invasive Plants of the Upper Midwest: An Illustrated Guide to Their Identification and Control. Univ of Wisconsin Press. ISBN   978-0-299-21053-3.
  4. ↑ Tuchman, Nancy (September 2009). "PATTERNS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE ASSOCIATED WITH TYPHA X GLAUCA INVASION IN A GREAT LAKES COASTAL WETLAND" (PDF). Echinacea project. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  5. 1 2 Crowder, A; Taylor, Gregory (June 1984). "Characteristics of Sites Occupied by Wild Lily-of-the-Valley, Maianthemum canadense, on Hill Island, Ontario". Biodiversity Library. The Canadian Field-Naturalist. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Frieswyk, Christin; Zedler, Joy (2007). "Vegetation change in great lakes coastal wetlands: deviation from the historical cycle". Journal of Great Lakes Research. 33 (2): 366–380. doi:10.3394/0380-1330(2007)33[366:VCIGLC]2.0.CO;2 – via Elsevier Science Direct.
  7. ↑ Grace, James B.; Wetzel, Robert G. (1982-01-01). "Niche differentiation between two rhizomatous plant species: Typha latifolia and Typha angustifolia". Canadian Journal of Botany. 60 (1): 46–57. doi:10.1139/b82-007. ISSN   0008-4026.
  8. ↑ Sale, P.J.M; Wetzel, Robert (April 1983). "Growth and metabolism of Typha species in relation to cutting treatments". Aquatic Botany. 15 (4): 321–334. doi:10.1016/0304-3770(83)90001-3 – via Elsevier Science Direct.
  9. ↑ Christensen, Jay R.; Crumpton, William G.; van der Valk, Arnold G. (2009-03-01). "Estimating the breakdown and accumulation of emergent macrophyte litter: A mass-balance approach". Wetlands. 29 (1): 204–214. doi:10.1672/08-27.1. ISSN   1943-6246.
  10. 1 2 3 "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  11. 1 2 Morton, Julia F. (1975-01-01). "Cattails (Typha spp.) — Weed Problem or Potential Crop?". Economic Botany. 29 (1): 7–29. doi:10.1007/BF02861252. ISSN   1874-9364.
  12. ↑ Angeloni, Nicholas; Jankowski, Kathi; Nancy, Tuchman; Kelly, John (1 October 2006). "Effects of an invasive cattail species (Typha × glauca) on sediment nitrogen and microbial community composition in a freshwater wetland". academic.oup.com. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  13. ↑ Martin, Jay; Hofherr, Elizabeth; Quigley, Martin F. (2003-12-01). "Effects ofTypha latifolia transpiration and harvesting on nitrate concentrations in surface water of wetland microcosms". Wetlands. 23 (4): 835–844. doi:10.1672/0277-5212(2003)023[0835:EOTLTA]2.0.CO;2. ISSN   1943-6246.
  14. ↑ McNaughton, S. J.; Folsom, T. C.; Lee, T.; Park, F.; Price, C.; Roeder, D.; Schmitz, J.; Stockwell, C. (August 1974). "Heavy Metal Tolerance in Typha Latifolia without the Evolution of Tolerant Races". Ecology. 55 (5): 1163–1165. doi:10.2307/1940369. ISSN   0012-9658. JSTOR   1940369.
  15. ↑ Garver, E.G.; Dubbe, D.R.; Pratt, D.C. (16 May 1988). "Seasonal patterns in accumulation and partitioning of biomass and macronutrients in Typha spp". Aquatic Botany. 32 (1–2): 115–127. doi:10.1016/0304-3770(88)90092-7 – via Elsevier Science Direct.
  16. 1 2 3 Lishawa, Shane C.; Carson, Brendan D.; Brandt, Jodi S.; Tallant, Jason M.; Reo, Nicholas J.; Albert, Dennis A.; Monks, Andrew M.; Lautenbach, Joseph M.; Clark, Eric (2017). "Mechanical Harvesting Effectively Controls Young Typha spp. Invasion and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Data Enhances Post-treatment Monitoring". Frontiers in Plant Science. 8: 619. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2017.00619 . ISSN   1664-462X. PMC   5403916 . PMID   28487713.
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