When you recollect of the Swiss Alps , you probably picture gorgeous C - covered mountains , or mayhap you ’re reminded that they ’re a great plaza tofind an ichthyosaur . You do n’t , we would imagine , envisage cacti incubate the gradient . But that is the reality in some part , as trespassing species are spreading in the neighborhood thanks to clime modification , put ecosystems at peril .
In the canton of Valais , cacti belong to the genusOpuntia , well known as prickly pears , are popping up where they ’re not wanted . normally find in hot and dry mood , the invaders made their way over from the Americas , where they are aboriginal , 250 years ago .
Since then , they ’ve inflate their thorny chain of mountains and now traverse up to one - third of the useable farming in some parts of Valais , agree to Yann Triponez , a life scientist who work in the canton of Valais ' nature protection service , perThe Guardian .
So far , nine mintage , four of which are particularly invasive , have been discovered in the canton . Their proliferation is damage other plant in the area and as such is a threat to biodiversity .
“ When you have these cacti , nothing else grows , ” Triponez tell The Guardian . “ Each pad covers the soil and prevents other plants from growing through . ”
As the climate warms and theAlps get hot , plants have longer botany point and snow cover is abbreviate , which has left the room access open for trespassing cacti species .
Opuntiaprefer hot climates but can easily survive temperature as humiliated as -15 ° C ( 5 ° F ) , go to bed geology prof and botanist Peter Oliver Baumgartner told The Guardian . What they ca n’t stand , however , is the damp : “ they want to be in a dry place and do n’t care snow cover . ”
They ’ll be scratch their spine together , then , asclimate changecontinues to eat up snow cover . Onerecent studyfound that coke cover the Alps for over a calendar month less than historical average , “ a decline that is unprecedented over the last six centuries , ” the authors publish .
increase temperatures are throw up other curve balls in the Swiss Alps , include the find of human remains , as well as50 - year - old plane crash wreckage .
As for the cacti , attempts to rid the slopes of the invader have scramble to get off the soil . Opuntiahave recollective roots and are tough to eradicate : they can survive being trampled , dried , and even uprooted .
“ We can restrict them , ” Baumgartner told The Guardian , “ but I do n’t call back we can get rid of them . ”
[ H / T : The Guardian ]
