When it comes to creatures that have invaded the continent, the Canadian goldenrod is definitely on the list.
This "uninvited guest" from the temperate region of North America is already one of the most harmful invasive plants on the mainland, which has aroused widespread concern in the society.
The Canadian goldenrod, also known as the oriole flower, was once widely used as a cut flower.
In the 30s of the last century, the Canadian goldenrod was introduced to China as a horticultural plant, followed by wild escape.
When this plant, which should have appeared in the greenhouse, came to the natural environment of East China and Central China, it gradually revealed its fierce and hateful side.
Its rhizome is very developed, the seeds can be spread with the wind like dandelions, the vitality is extremely strong, do not pick the environment and soil, once colonized it is difficult to eradicate.
It is also a "solipsistic" existence, which secretes allelopathic substances during the growth process and inhibits the growth of other plants, which is easy to form single-dominant communities in invasive habitats, affecting biodiversity, and endangering natural landscapes and community succession.
At present, the prevention and control of Canadian goldenrod is mainly carried out by means of manual eradication, pharmaceutical prevention and ecological control.
For example, chemical herbicides are used at the seedling stage in May and June; Spray flower bud inhibitors during flowering to inhibit their flowering and control seeding.
In general, the method we have summarized at present mainly relies on "shovel" and "removal", but the effect is difficult to see immediately, and can only reduce the density of Canadian goldenrod.
In view of the problem of the treatment of Canadian goldenrod, Xiang Jizhong, a farmer in Huzhou, Zhejiang, provided a new governance idea - eating.
It is not people who eat, but sheep that eat, and they also eat out of the doorway.
Canadian goldenrod has high nutritional value, and the crude protein content in the early growth stage is close to that of legumes, which is used as feed for sheep, which is equivalent to allowing sheep to eat braised pork.
Invasive plants that are difficult to eradicate have become a feast for lake sheep, which is conducive to ecological protection and saves feed costs, bringing new inspiration to the prevention and control of invasive alien species.
Netizens praised it one after another, as if the problem of Canadian goldenrod suddenly solved "eating".
But in fact, there are a few more steps to think about.
Turning invasive alien species into cash crops or protecting plants by "eating" is not so easy, nor is it a one-time solution.
For invasive alien species, the ideas and methods of resource utilization have long existed, but the effectiveness and sustainability are not satisfactory.
The solution to the problem by eating actually hides greater risks.
Because both livestock and poultry farming and crop cultivation are affected by economic cycles.
In other words, there is a cycle of continuous sheep farming, and there is a cycle of demand for feed, but the Canadian goldenrod has been growing.
Once the utilization of resources encounters fluctuations in the economic cycle, it may lead to the rupture of the governance chain, and the invasion will also expand, bringing greater ecological disasters.
Some people have said, is crayfish an invasive alien species solved by eating?
Crayfish are a popular food, and every year, we consume more than 2 million tons of crayfish.
However, these crayfish are all farmed.
And the problem of wild crayfish as an invasive species remains unresolved. Wild crayfish also nearly destroyed the Hani rice terraces.
It is too expensive to go wild to catch crayfish in order to eat them.
Moreover, crayfish growing in the wild are thin, have poor appearance, and have problems with parasites and heavy metals, and they really dare not eat them.
Although the Canadian goldenrod has the potential to become a high-quality forage, it must also undergo several generations of safety tests on the basis of scientific and technological support.
For example, the safety of eating Canadian goldenrod for sheep and people, whether plant seeds will spread with sheep's feces, and be vigilant against new escape transmission routes in the process of processing and utilization.
Finally, I want to say a detail, farmers use Canadian goldenrod as feed to feed sheep, there is a government subsidy, if it is a special rectification subsidy, this is also a good thing.
At present, there are also subsidies or reporting rewards for the removal of Canadian goldenrod in various places.