Portfolio: Sonoran Desert Organism Investigations

Investigation

A Deadly Invasive Species: Buffelgrass

aurelius1
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

Buffelgrass, Cenchrus ciliaris, in Sabino Canyon, Tucson, © 2005 aurelius1

Introduction

Buffelgrass is an invasive species that is hurting our beautiful Sonoran Desert.  An invasive species is one that is non-native to the area it inhabits and that uses up resources that are necessary for native species to survive.  Buffelgrass has several charcteristics that lead to it being not only a nuisance, but also a danger to our desert environment.  We need to eliminate it in our beautiful desert country before it leads to the destruction of many of our important native plants.

Buffelgrass is very easy to spot because of its physical characteristics.  It is yellow-brown in color during the summer and green after the monsoon season in July and August.  However, buffelgrass is immune to droughts and can survive long periods of time without water.  It is a very tall grass that chokes out native grasses.  During the summer months when buffelgrass is very dry, it burns very quickly.  The fact that buffelgrass burns so rapidly makes it especially dangerous in wildfire season.  Buffelgrass also spreads to different locations very easily because the seeds get blown across large areas during wind storms.  The only effective way to get rid of buffel grass is to pull the grass by hand, making sure that the roots are removed with the grass.  Poisons do not effectively get rid of the buffel grass which is another reason why buffelgrass is so commonly found.  These are some of the important characteristics of the commonly found buffelgrass.

Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

Buffelgrass, Cenchrus ciliaris, in Sabino Canyon, Tucson, © 2005 aurelius1

Conclusion

Residents of Pima County are very fortunate to be able to take advantage of such a beautiful desert landscape everywhere around them; however, this landscape is being harmed by the ever-increasing population of buffelgrass.  Buffelgrass is very hard to eradicate and the only way to do so is by hand.  Since this is the only way to exterminate this invasive species we must get people to help and volunteer to aid in the process of removing this annoying and dangerous grass.

Information on the Internet

References

1. “Buffel grass.” NSW Department of Agriculture.com. 7 April 2004. NSW Department of Primary Industries. 8 October 2005.

2. “Buffel grass.” Arizonensis.org. 19 January 2003. 8 October 2005.

About This Page

Author: aurelius1
Classroom Project: Independent Study B1
Catalina Foothills High School
Tucson, Arizona USA

License: Tree of Life & Partners uses only - Version 1.0

Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to , Catalina Foothills High School

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About This Portfolio

Lisa Schwartz
University of Arizona


University of Arizona

Laurie Cale
Catalina Foothills High School

Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to Lisa Schwartz at and Laurie Cale at

All Rights Reserved.

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