[APWG] ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION and weeds Re: ecological services of weeds?

[Wayne Tyson]

APWG:

Since I have received more than one off-list comment along these lines, I am posting herewith, the relevant text of my response to one of them for your critical review:

' . . . the truth be known, I do recognize that some "weeds" do provide "ecological services." For example, I confess that I once got Nicotiana glauca removed from a major agency's "hit list" on a riparian restoration project because it was (in that context) non-invasive (merely "ruderal") and served as a fast-growing vertical element, a perching site (vector facilitation), and a temporary surrogate for missing hummingbird plants--and it allowed scarce resources to be allocated to higher-priority issues. While I didn't advocate actually seeding or planting it, I might hold open even that possibility under other circumstances. I have used other alien "fast-faders" to "stand in" for missing or scarce indigenous species, provide temporary habitat modification, etc., but admit that it can be a risky procedure. Usually such species are those whose metabolic requirements, for example, are present on the site only temporarily. In other cases, I have used sterile individuals for similar purposes. I do not recommend this practice, but IF one is very careful to understand things like the physiological ecology and environmental dynamics of restoration sites in all their diversity and range, one can theoretically "use" a problem species as an asset. I emphasize that there's a TREMENDOUS amount of knowledge and synthesis that has yet to be developed, however, and that, AT MINIMUM, each potential application must at least pass muster on an theoretical level--and by "theoretical" I mean constructed from solid, proven scientific theory, not just wild guesses or even SWAGs.'

WT

PS: I should have added that there are very few "weeds" which should be considered for these reasons--unless it is indisputably clear that considerable value can be derived and zero penalties suffered.  
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