Science Focus
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An invasive species of plant called “the scourge of the South” has a new strike against it. Recent research shows that the impact of kudzu is more troublesome than had been previously thought. When it takes over ecosystems, this invader causes soil to surrender its carbon, releasing it as greenhouse gas.
Alien invader
Kudzu is one of the most impressive invasive species in the world. Introduced to the US as a handful of plants in 1876, this invader now occupies over 3m hectares (over 11,500 sq. mi.) of land in the US, largely in the southeast of the country. It is estimated to be “consuming” land in the USA at a rate of 50,000 hectares (123,552 acres) per year.
If anything could be said to grow like a weed, it is kudzu, which can extend by up to a meter every three days. The plant moves across terrain like a wave, smothering everything in its wake—trees, utility poles, and even buildings.
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