There have been frequent reports in the local media recently that the foliage of bald cypress trees has been changing color from green to yellow and red, creating spectacular scenery, and that this seasonal foliage stands in breathtaking contrast to lush green meadows and azure skies. These reports, however, show a worrisome lack of ecological and environmental awareness.
As a result of the commercial hype, many Taiwanese have jumped on the bandwagon in recent years and planted bald cypresses — a species that mainly belongs in temperate zones — for gardening and landscaping, without considering the risk that arbitrary planting could cause an environmental disaster.
There is an endless list of instances where alien species have brought harm to Taiwan’s natural ecology, for example by non-native plant species such as white leadtree (Leucaena leucocephala), climbing hemp vine or mile-a-minute vine (Mikania micrantha), and exotic animal species such as the golden apple snail, the red-eared slider turtle, and suckermouth catfish, to name just a few better-known species.
The bald or swamp cypress (Taxodium distichum) is a deciduous conifer in the family Cupressaceae. It is native to the southeastern US. Hardy and tough, it adapts to a wide range of soil types, whether wet, dry or swampy. It is noted for the russet-red fall color of its lacy needles.
The species would not create much havoc if planted in ponds or swamps, but the problem is that in Taiwan, the bald cypress is often planted in the plains, in gardens or along sidewalks.
If there is enough water, various sizes of cypress knees will grow out of the ground around the tree like stalagmites, ranging in height from 5cm to 60cm. Part of the tree’s root system projected above ground, cypress knees are a hindrance to the survival of other plants. This root structure not only damages the ecosystem, it can also trip up pedestrians.
Every six to 10 years, Taiwanese businesspeople make a strong push for non-native plants to promote their own commercial interests. Media outlets often add fuel to the flames, creating a short-lived sensation. The public hastily hops onto the bandwagon and starts planting these non-native species without paying attention to their potential damage to the ecosystem.
If there is excessive expansion or if prices plunge, the plants are pulled up and dumped in some random place. When this happens and their seeds are dispersed by wind or through animals, and if they manage to adapt to the local environment, they become invasive species.
Strong invasive species cause ecological damage far greater than expected when they were first introduced. Some examples from the more distant past are common lantana (Lantana camara), common water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), white leadtree and African touch-me-not (Impatiens walleriana).
Over the past few years, the climbing hemp vine has been a headache for the agricultural and ecological conservation authorities. Because the plant grows so fast, it is also called “mile-a-minute vine/weed.” Its seeds are very viable, and roots and buds can grow from every node of the vine’s creeping stem that touches the soil, while internodal space can produce adventitious roots, allowing the plant to reproduce asexually in the form of a vegetative mass.
These features make it very difficult to completely eliminate the plant. The vine was originally introduced to Taiwan by the authorities for soil and water conservation purposes thanks to its fast reproduction and greening effect. The disaster caused by the plant was unexpected.
According to a 2002 report by the Endemic Species Research Institute, the vine spread across 56,847.78 hectares of land, and agricultural losses were hard to estimate.
If non-native plants bring harm, agricultural losses will amount to several billion or even tens of billions of New Taiwan dollars, although sometimes the effects will only manifest themselves 10 or 20 years later. Planting non-native plants, such as bald cypress, requires cautious evaluation and planning.
Someone who blindly follows trends could end up hurting Taiwan’s ecological system.
Jerome Su is an associate professor at National Taiwan Normal University’s Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation.
Translated by Chang Ho-ming
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