by Rick O'Connor | Feb 28, 2022
In recent years this question has come up more often. With the thousands of different invasive species taking over the landscape and waterways why are we spending so much time, money, and resources battling them when you are not going to win? It’s a fair question honestly and one that is the theme of the 2016 book The New Wild by science writer Fred Pearce.
The argument that Pearce makes is that life on our planet has worked under the premise that the stronger survive and pass on their genes to the next generation since the beginning of time. They compete with other species for space and resources and those best adapted will win out. If these invasive species are winning out, that is how nature intended it to be and that we should get use to the “new wild”.
Under this thought the forest of the southeastern United States would hold more Chinese tallow and cogongrass than it once did, and the reefs of the Gulf of Mexico would be home to a new species called the lionfish. Again, the thought makes sense and indirectly may be growing.
I say that because there are many who cannot euthanize an animal, no matter who it is or where it came from. There is a growing call to not euthanize them because it is wrong, and even some cases with green iguanas where rescues, and releases, from the cold are now occurring. There are some who found economic ways to benefit from some invasive species, lionfish dinners and Chinese tallow honey, and do not necessarily want to remove them. So, maybe these nonnative species are not all that bad.
So, why should we be concerned about them?
Why should spend the time, money, and effort to manage them (euthanizing when needed)?
Well, by using the definition accepted by the University of Florida IFAS Extension, they are bad. This definition states (1) invasive species are non-native to the area, (2) they arrived via humans (whether intentional or accidental), and (3) they are causing an economic and/or environmental problem. Lowering your quality of life has also been connected to a “problem”. And if it is truly a problem, and it should be to have the name invasive attached, then it needs to be managed. If they are not really causing a problem, then maybe they are not really invasive.
With invasive species we typically see a nonnative who moves into a disturbed part of the environment. Being nonnative, they have few natural predators, and their reproductive dispersal of the landscape is quick and effective. They have mentioned that the dispersal rate of the lionfish was one of the greatest “invasions” ever seen. This increase in their population decreases the populations of native species and, in many cases, the overall biodiversity of the system. Biologists and naturalists understand the importance of biodiversity in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Monocultures of any species, even in agriculture, and be dangerous when a pathogen comes along. This pathogen could wipe out the entire ecosystem. I have heard this argument before. Most of the Everglades is sawgrass, sawgrass is grass, which provides food and oxygen for the rest of the system. If herbivores only need plants to survive, and they provide food for the carnivores, does it really matter which grass it is? Grass is grass.
However, if this grass species does become threatened by a pathogen, or the herbivores do not eat such grass, then we DO have a problem. The invasion of cogongrass is a good example of this. With the serrated blades and layers of silica within, few herbivores seek this plant out. If cogongrass is allowed to take over forest and farmland, there is certainly a problem, and this plant would need management.
Deep water lionfish traps being tested by the University of Florida offshore Destin, FL. [ALEX FOGG/CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]
Lionfish is no different. There are some reefs in the northern Gulf of Mexico that have had densities of 200 lionfish/hectare or more. Some photos show only lionfish. Studies show they are like bullfrogs, consuming anything they can get into their mouths. There are at least 70 different species of small reef fishes that have been found in the stomachs of lionfish. The decrease of these small fish can impact the presence of larger, commercially sought-after species. They have also found that many of these small reef fish control algae growth on coral reefs and their decline can increase algae populations and the smothering of the coral themselves. They are indeed a problem.
We could go on and on with examples of how these species are problematic. Pythons, tegus, and Old-World Climbing Fern. There are those who cause problems in small quite ways such as the crazy ants, Cuban treefrogs, and the red fire ant.
And then there is the argument that WE, not nature, introduced this species. That is #2 of the definition. The argument that if nature introduced the species, then yes – we could except their presence as more natural and the process more natural. But nature did not introduce them – we did. This brings up the argument that the situation is more unnatural and since we “did it” we should “fix it”.
Even Pearce mentions in his book that some species need management. The argument that you are not going to win is true for some species. We are not going to eradicate Chinese tallow, cogongrass, and lionfish from Florida. However, we should be concerned about them. We should manage the locations where they currently exist and prevent the spread to new locations. In our next edition, we will discuss “how they get here” to help reduce the spread of current invasive species, and the introduction of new ones, from happening.
by Rick O'Connor | Feb 24, 2022
For many in the Pensacola Bay area, water quality is a top concern. Excessive nutrients, heavy metals, and fecal bacteria from run-off have all been problems. In recent years fecal bacteria has become a major concern, forcing both health advisories at public swimming areas, and shellfish harvesting closures. In a report from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection last modified in 2021, 43 sites in the Pensacola Bay area were verified as impaired and 11 of those (22%) were due to high levels of fecal bacteria1.
Closed due to bacteria.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
As the name implies, these are bacteria associated with the digestive tract and find their way into waterbodies via animal waste. Animal waste can harbor pathogenic organisms and contribute to algal blooms which leads to hypoxia (low dissolved oxygen in the water), and potential fish kills. As bad as hypoxia and fish kills can be, it is the health issue from the pathogens that are often the larger concern.
The spherical cells of the “coccus” bacteria Enterococcus.
Photo: National Institute of Health
In saline waters, the fecal bacterium Enterococcus is the species used for indication of animal waste. This bacterium is more tolerant of salt water than E. coli, or other fecal bacteria, and a better choice as an indicator for this reason. Enterococcus is found in the intestines for birds and mammals and enters waterways through their feces. Waterfowl, pets, and livestock can all be sources, but it is human waste that many point to when the bacteria counts are over the environmental thresholds set. Human waste enters the waterways either by septic or sewer overflows. It is the septic systems we will look at in this article.
A conventional septic system is made up of a septic tank (a watertight container buried in the ground) and a drain field. Image: Soil and Water Science Lab UF/IFAS GREC.
How the septic system works…
The process of course begins when you flush. The wastewater leaves the commode and enters a pipe which leads to the septic tank outside. Here the wastewater separates. The solid waste will settle to the bottom forming a layer called sludge. Fats, oils, and grease float on water and form a top layer called scum. The untreated wastewater settles in the middle. This wastewater will drain from the septic tank into a series of smaller pipes and leach into a drain field. The drain field should be made of large grain material, like sand or gravel, that allows the filtration of the water as it dissipates into the environment. On paper this system should work well, and often does, but you can see where problems can occur.
- Was the septic system placed in the correct area? Often as a homeowner you have no control over where the tank is placed but there are regulations on this, and they should have been followed.
- Is there sufficient drain material for the effluent to effectively drain and filter (plenty of sand/gravel)?
- Is the site too close to the water table? Saturated ground will not allow for proper filtration and can create layers of untreated water to settle near the surface creating foul odors and leach into local waterways. Over the last decade the Pensacola area has seen an increase in the annual amount of rain. This increase can turn what was a suitable location into one that is no longer.
Again, many homeowners have no control over the placement of the septic but doing your due diligence when purchasing a home, you can do. Checking the situation of the septic can save you a lot of problems down the road.
1-gallon container provided free to dispose of your oil and grease.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
The FOG gallon containers are found in these metal cabinets placed around the county.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
- What are you flushing down the commode? Here you DO have control.
- Excessive amounts of fats, oils, and grease will increase the scum layer, and this can enter the pipes leading to the drain field causing clogging of those. Clogs can cause backups into the tank and leaks near the top as well as backups into your home. Not only can these overflows create problems in the home, but they can also end in our waterways creating water quality problems. So, what do you do with the oil and grease left over from cooking? In Escambia County, the Emerald Coast Utility authority provides what they call the FOG program2. This program provides free 1-gallon plastic jugs to place your oil and grease in. You can find these in metal cages at locations around the county, there is one at the extension office. You take it home, fill it up, and return it for a new one.
- Disposable wipes can be flushed, but they do not degrade. Excessive amounts of disposal products flushed into your septic system will certainly create clogs in the drainpipes and backups into the lawn, waterways, and your home. Do not flush these! Toss them into the trash can.
- Interestingly we are learning that milk will solidify after pouring down the drain. It forms solid chunks resembling concrete and can also create backups and overflows. This is relatively newly discovered problem. One suggestion is to pour unwanted milk on your garden, but you do not want to flush it down the drain to your septic tank.
- There has been discussion on chemical products marketed to clean your septic. Many of our experts believe that these can alter the good microbes within the tank that breakdown the solid waste layer, the sludge. This is not something you want.
- The last one is water itself. Not that you cannot flush water down the drain, but excessive amounts can create situations where either the scum or the sludge layers reach the drainpipes and form clogs. Do not use excessive amounts of water from different sources in your home at the same time. Do not overload the system.
- Driving over the septic tank or drain field.
Most understand that this can cause problems. It can compact the soil being used for the drain field, thus making it less effective at draining and filtering. It can also cause cracks in both the tank and the drainpipes, which can create leaks that allow untreated wastewater to travel away from the drain field. Be careful where you use heavy vehicle traffic on your lawn.
- Pumping out your septic system.
This is something few people do. The untreated wastewater should flow into the drain field and percolate through the sand/gravel bed. However, the scum and sludge do not drain and need to be pumped periodically. The recommended cycle for pump outs is once every 3-5 years. Again, this is something most homeowners do not do until backup problems occur. We do recommend having your system pumped on that cycle.
- Convert to a sewer system.
This is not an option for everyone, and we know for some in which it is, they are not eager to do so. But converting to a sewer takes the maintenance issue off the homeowner and onto the local utility. The conversion can be expensive but, in some communities, there are cost share programs to help with this. Check with your local utility for more information.
If placed, used, and maintained properly septic systems can last 25-30 years and not be a major problem for local waterways. Converting to a sewer system can help, but there are also problems here. We will address those in our next post.
Reference
1 Florida Department of Environmental Protection. 2021. Verified Lists for Group 4 Basins Cycle 2 – Pensacola Bay.
https://floridadep.gov/dear/watershed-assessment-section/documents/verified-lists-group-4-basins-cycle-2-pensacola-bay.
2 Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG). Emerald Coast Utility Authority (ECUA).
https://ecua.fl.gov/live-green/fats-oils-grease.
by Rick O'Connor | Feb 24, 2022
EDRR Invasive Species
Cane Toad (Rhinella marina)
a.k.a Bufo toad, Marine toad
The Cane Toad
Photo: University of Georgia
Define Invasive Species: must have ALL of the following –
- Is non-native to the area, in our case northwest Florida
- Introduced by humans, whether intentional or accidental
- Causing either an environmental or economic problem, possibly both
Define EDRR Species: Early Detection Rapid Response. These are species that are either –
- Not currently in the area, in our case the Six Rivers CISMA, but a potential threat
- In the area but in small numbers and could be eradicated
Native Range:
The cane toad is native to central and south America.
Introduction:
Cane toads were intentionally released into Florida in the 1930s as a biological control for a beetle that was consuming the economically important sugar cane crop. It is believed that the initial released population did not survive but additional released toads in the 1950s did.
EDDMapS currently list 1,102 records of this toad. All but five are reported from Orlando south. Three were reported in north Florida – one in the Gainesville area, one in the Villages, and one in Deltona area. Two have been reported in the Florida panhandle. A small population existed in Bay County for a period and one report came from Okaloosa County, which is the only report within the Six Rivers CISMA. This toad is still sold in pet stores, and it is most likely these were escaped pets.
Description:
This toad is much larger than our native toads. Florida’s native toads do not reach lengths greater than 4 inches, cane toads can reach 6 inches and possibly up to 9 inches. The are reddish-brown in color and have very large parotid glands (poison glands) on their shoulders. Native toad parotoid glands are typically oval in shape, the cane toads are triangular. The cane toad also possesses a ridged crest over the eye that our native toads lack.
Even in their native range, cane toads prefer human habitations and are often found around homes, gardens, schools, and in agriculture fields.
Issues and Impacts:
There are two primary concerns with this toad. (1) their voracious appetite, and (b) their toxicity to pets. Cane toads will feed on native frogs, lizards, snakes, small mammals, and anything else they can get into their mouths. In areas where cane toads are common, declines of the native southern toads have been reported. The poison secreted by this toad is highly toxic to pets. Though in most cases there is a lot of foaming and drool at the mouth, dogs have had seizures and have gone into cardiac arrest, even dying. The eggs and tadpoles of this toad are also toxic. Eggs laid in landscaped ponds typically kill the fish that inhabit them. The toxin is also highly irritable to humans. Wiping on the face or open cuts can lead to skin irritations and everyone should avoid wiping their eyes. It is recommended to handle these toads with gloves.
Management:
Hand capturing, using gloves, and humanely euthanizing cane toads found in your yard is the primary method of control. It is important to correctly identify the toad before euthanizing it. If you have questions, you can contact your county extension office.
To humanely euthanize wipe, or spray, benzocaine or lidocaine on the lower belly. This will act as an anesthesia to numb the nervous system and put the animal to sleep. The toad can now be placed in a zip lock bag and placed in the freezer. If you do not have products with benzocaine or lidocaine (often found in products to help with toothache or sunburns) you can place the toad in a zip lock bag for a few hours in the refrigerator, then move to the freezer. It is recommended if cane toads are present in your neighborhood to remove outdoor pet food and water bowls. If you do not wish to euthanize the toad you can contact a wildlife control business.
Please report any sighting to www.EDDMapS.org. There are biologists who verify the photograph you send. It is important that we keep track of this EDRR species.
For more information on this EDRR species, contact your local extension office.
References
Johnson, S. 2020. Florida’s Frogs and Toads. University of Florida Department of Wildlife Ecology. https://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/frogs/canetoad.shtml.
Wilson, A., Johnson, S. 2021. The Cane or “Bufo” Toad (Rhinella marina) in Florida. Electronic Data Information System publication #WEC387. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW432.
Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS)
https://www.eddmaps.org/
Six Rivers CISMA
https://www.floridainvasives.org/sixrivers/
by Rick O'Connor | Feb 18, 2022
Six Rivers “Dirty Dozen” Invasive Species
Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
Japanese Honeysuckle
Photo: University of Florida
Define Invasive Species: must have all of the following –
- Is non-native to the area, in our case northwest Florida
- Introduced by humans, whether intentional or accidental
- Causing either an environmental or economic problem, possibly both
Define “Dirty Dozen” Species:
These are species that are well established within the CISMA and are considered, by members of the CISMA, to be one of the top 12 worst problems in our area.
Native Range:
Japanese honeysuckle is native to China, Japan, and Korea.
Introduction:
Japanese honeysuckle was first introduced to Florida in 1875 for agricultural and gardening purposes. It was introduced as a forage plant in the agriculture industry and was very popular as a landscape plant due to its beautiful showy flowers. Its invasive nature was quickly discovered and is now listed as a Category I invasive plant and a Florida noxious weed.
EDDMapS currently has 115,101 records of this plant across the country. Most are east of the Mississippi River but cover the entire east coast, including New England. There are records in the southwestern part of the U.S. In Florida, most of the records are in the northern part of the state, particularly in the panhandle. There are few records south of Orlando. Within the Florida panhandle there are 1,558 records and 1,209 within the Six Rivers CISMA. As with most species, this is probably underreported.
Description:
Japanese honeysuckle is a woody vine that produces beautiful white flowers. These flowers have multiple sepals, and the stamens which extend outward resembling “whiskers”. The leaves are about 1-3 inches, ovate is shape, and opposite on the stem. The small fruits are green and hard when immature, black and soft when older.
Issues and Impacts:
This is an aggressive growing vine that can quickly take over the landscape. It can cover small shrubs and trees killing them, block sunlight so germination of other plants is impossible, and outcompete native plants for needed sunlight decreasing the biodiversity within the area.
Management:
Removing by hand or shovel is effective on small patches. Mowing small patches has found to reduce seed spread but the parent plant may return with additional stems. Mechanical tillage can be effective but can enhance seed dispersal from the seed bank and is not always an option in some locations.
Chemical treatment with either glyphosate or triclopyr has been effective however, cut stump application is recommended. Foliar sprays that do not reach ALL leaves can induce resprouting.
There are no known biological controls at this time.
For more information on this Dirty Dozen species, contact your local extension office.
References
Japanese Honeysuckle. University of Florida IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants
https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/lonicera-japonica/.
Lonicera japonica. University of Florida IFAS Assessment. https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/assessments/lonicera-japonica/.
Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS)
https://www.eddmaps.org/
Six Rivers CISMA
https://www.floridainvasives.org/sixrivers/
by Rick O'Connor | Feb 18, 2022
I recently posted an article about the seahorses of the Florida panhandle. It would be remiss of me if I did not include their close cousins the pipefish. Where seahorses are well known but hard to find, pipefish are easy to find but not well known.
The seahorse-like pipefish.
Photo: University of Florida
Pipefish are in the same family as seahorses, Syngnathidae, and are basically elongated seahorses. Pulling seine nets in local grassbeds we often catch them. Students always ask what they are. “Are these needlefish?” is a frequent question. I reply “no, they are pipefish”. Which then comes “pikefish?”. To which I reply “No, PIPEfish… like P-I-P-E… – they are basically elongated seahorses”. And then there is always – “coool”. To which I reply “yes… very cool”.
Pipefish have the same body armor, body rings, and long tube snout of the seahorse. However, they lack the curled prehensile tail for a more elongated body, looking more a grass blade than their cousins. They actually have a caudal fin (the fin most call “fish tail”). Most range between 3-6 inches long but the chain pipefish can reach a length of 10 inches, this is the “big boy” of the group. Like seahorses, they hide in the grass using their tube-shaped mouths to suck in small planktonic food. Like the seahorses, the males’ possess a brood pouch to carry the fertilized eggs and give live birth (ovoviviparous).
The pipefish can quickly be divided into two groups – those with long snouts, and those with short – and this can be easily seen when captured in a net. After that identification gets a bit tricky, you have to count rays in the fins or rings on the body. It is sufficed to say, “it’s a pipefish” and leave it at that.
Those with long snouts include the Opossum, Chain, Dusky, and Sargassum pipefish.
The Opossum Pipefish (Microphis brachyurus) is about 3 inches long and was not reported from the northwestern Gulf of Mexico according to Hoese and Moore1. In the eastern Gulf, our way, it is considered rare but has been found in salt marshes, seagrasses, and in Sargassum mats drifting in from the Gulf. The Florida Museum of Natural History list this fish as a “marine invader”2. In 1991 NOAA listed it as a species of concern due to its decline across the region3. There are reports of this pipefish entering freshwater creeks within our estuaries.
The Chain Pipefish (Syngnathus louisianae) has a very long snout and is the “big boy” of the group reaching 10 inches in length. It is quite common along the panhandle and has one of the larger ranges of this group, found all along the Atlantic coast, throughout the Gulf of Mexico and in the Caribbean.
The Dusky Pipefish (Syngnathus floridae) is a long-snout, large pipefish reaching a length of eight inches. It prefers higher salinity than many pipefish and is found throughout the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic seaboard often offshore.
The Sargassum Pipefish (Syngnathus pelagicus). This is a good scientific name for this fish (pelagicus) for it lives on the large mats of Sargassum weed that drifts across the oceans. Because of this it has a worldwide distribution. This longnose pipefish reaches the typical length of six inches. It lives as many other pipefish do hiding in the grass snapping up food when it comes close enough but it’s habitat is often drifting offshore and inshore sightings of this species are rare.
There are three species of “short-snout” pipefish.
The Fringed Pipefish (Anarchopterus crinigerus) is a smaller pipefish reaching only three inches. It seems to be absent in the western Gulf but is found along the Florida panhandle, the Gulf coast of peninsula Florida, and through the Caribbean to Brazil.
The Northern Pipefish (Syngnathus fuscus) reaches a length of six inches. It is very common along the Atlantic seaboard but Hoese and Moore1 report only four specimens from the Gulf of Mexico. This one would be considered very rare, and an expert should identify it if one thinks they have it.
The Gulf Pipefish (Syngnathus scovelli) is one of the more common pipefish collected in our waters. It is a short-snout species reaching the typical six inches but has these distinct bluish-gray bars that run vertically along the sides. It is found throughout the Gulf of Mexico and even into some freshwater habitats. The Florida Museum of Natural History also list this species as a marine invader4.
I am not sure how much seining you do along our waterways, but if you do any within the grassbeds you are sure to find one of these unique and interesting fish.
References
1 Hoese, H.D., Moore, R.H. 1977. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. Texas A&M Press, College Station TX. Pp. 327.
2 Opossum pipefish. Discover Fishes. Florida Museum of Natural History. https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/florida-fishes-gallery/opossum-pipefish/.
3 Opossum Pipefish. Species of Concern. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service. https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1224/ML12240A312.pdf.
4 Gulf Pipefish. Discover Fishes. Florida Museum of Natural History. https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/florida-fishes-gallery/gulf-pipefish/.
