Figure 3 - uploaded by Jaco Barendse
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The cliffs adjacent to the Waterfall at Inaccessible Island showing the distribution of the remaining large flax plants, based on observations in 2009 and 2011. The white line shows the fixed rope (220 m long).
Source publication
New Zealand flax Phormium tenax was introduced to Tristan da Cunha, an island in the central South Atlantic Ocean, in the 1800s. During the following century it was transferred to two other islands in the Tristan archipelago: Inaccessible and Nightingale Islands. Although not an aggressive invader, flax spread on both islands threatening their stat...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... brief visits to Nightingale in December 2009 (Ryan & Ronconi 2009), but a follow-up visit in September 2011 found two small shoots growing from base of an old, upended stump and 23 small plants in Phylica woodland adjacent to First Pond (K. Herian in litt.). The latter plants were uprooted and wedged upside down into tree branches to dry out. (Fig. 3), roughly half of which had flowered by 2009. Tackling plants in this area requires climbing equipment. Unfortunately, there is no easy ascent of these cliffs from the east side of Inaccessible Island, so any further work at this site requires the initial placement of top-ropes either by helicopter, or by landing at Blenden Hall on the ...
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... First, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of the efficacy of control methods prior to implementation of a management programme. In many control programmes, management methods are trialled and refined over the course of the project (Hilton & Konlechner, 2010;Cooper et al., 2011;Ryan et al., 2012;Hamilton et al., 2015). This approach can be highly successful for rapid response situations and dealing with small populations. ...
Plant eradication is difficult, particularly in remote, protected areas. The Southern Ocean Islands are very isolated and highly protected, but the flora contains many alien plants. Small restricted populations have been eradicated, but eradication of established species has proven difficult. A better understanding of the efficacy of control methods at sub‐Antarctic temperatures and their off‐target impacts may increase eradication success. With interest in controlling non‐native Poa annua in the region, we aimed to determine if physical and chemical methods can control P. annua (the sub‐Antarctic biotype) in sub‐Antarctic conditions and examined their impact on native plants. We quantified the effectiveness of physical control methods on P. annua in situ on sub‐Antarctic Macquarie Island through field‐based experiments and assessed their selectivity on P. annua compared with native grasses. We also quantified the effectiveness of several herbicides on P. annua at sub‐Antarctic temperatures and assessed their selectivity on native grasses. Of the four physical disturbance methods tested, none effectively reduced P. annua cover as one‐off treatments. Of the herbicide treatments, glyphosate and trifloxysulfuron sodium were effective and were less damaging to native grass species, indicating potential selectivity. Physical control was of limited effectiveness, but did not affect native species richness. An integrated weed management programme utilising the strategic use of selective herbicides with follow‐up chemical and physical intervention may balance control and biodiversity outcomes. This research highlights the importance of site‐specific testing of control methods and understanding off‐target impacts of control when managing alien plant species in protected areas.
This datasheet on Phormium tenax covers Identity, Overview, Distribution, Dispersal, Hosts/Species Affected, Diagnosis, Biology & Ecology, Environmental Requirements, Natural Enemies, Impacts, Uses, Prevention/Control, Further Information.
