The problem is also the grass itself. It grows to 4 m. high and 70 cm. in
diameter. So it can easily smother other vegetation. Plus it changes
soil-nutrient cycles and water cycles. Rossiter et. Al found that:
"compared with sites dominated by native grasses, sites invaded by gamba
grass had (1) increased fire intensities by more than threetimes; (2)
reduced available soil nitrate levels by 70%; (3) trebled grass water use;
and (4) more than halved deep drainage of water. Gamba grass therefore has
the ability to out-compete native species, and alter catchment hydrology to
the detriment of wetlands and streams".
Rossiter, N.A., Setterfield, S.A., Douglas, M.M., Hutley, L.B. & Cook, G.D.
Exotic grass invasion in the tropical savannas of northern Australia:
Ecosystem consequences. 14th Australian Weeds Conference 168 - 171 (2004).at
<http://espace.cdu.edu.au/view/cdu:1598>Google Scholar BibTex RTF Tagged XML
RIS
Denise
On 8/7/13 11:40 AM, "Peter Shute" <> wrote:
> Thanks for that, Denise. Those articles indicate that the problem with this
> grass is not its presence, but what happens to other vegetation when it burns.
> Is that correct, or does the grass itself cause problems too?
>
> Peter Shute
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Denise Goodfellow
>> Sent: Monday, 8 July 2013 8:18 AM
>> To: Peter Shute; 'David Clark'; Birding Aus
>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Cats
>>
>> Yes, certainly, and thank you, Peter, for asking. The second
>> title says it all.
>>
>> Africanising the tropical woodlands: Canopy loss and tree
>> death following gamba grass Andropogon gayanus invasion
>> Ferdinands, K, Douglas, MM, Setterfield, S and Barratt, JL (2006).
>> Africanising the tropical woodlands: Canopy loss and tree
>> death following gamba grass Andropogon gayanus invasion. In:
>> Sindel, BM and Johnson, SB 15th Australian Weeds Conference:
>> Managing Weeds in a Changing Climate, Adelaide,
>> 24-28 September 2006.
>> http://espace.cdu.edu.au/view/cdu:6670
>>
>> "Field of nightmares: gamba grass in the Top End", Aaron Petty (2013).
>>
>> http://theconversation.com/field-of-nightmares-gamba-grass-in-
>> the-top-end-
>> 12178
>>
>> I'm awaiting more articles from Dr. Petty.
>>
>> As I think I mentioned in an earlier email the NT Government
>> has declared that Gamba grass is out of control from Darwin
>> to Katherine. They are fighting a rear guard action trying
>> to prevent it moving further south. The situation may have
>> been made worse by the loss of Indigenous rangers from key
>> parks - they tell me that weeds were under control before
>> they resigned, but not now.
>>
>> Denise
>>
>>
>>
>> On 8/7/13 7:33 AM, "Peter Shute" <> wrote:
>>
>>> You often mention Gamba Grass here, Denise, but there's rarely any
>>> response. I know nothing about it, do you have any online
>> references about the problem?
>>>
>>> Peter Shute
>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From:
>>>> On Behalf
>> Of Denise
>>>> Goodfellow
>>>> Sent: Monday, 8 July 2013 7:11 AM
>>>> To: David Clark; Birding Aus
>>>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Cats
>>>>
>>>> I suspect that the impact on wildlife of cats or cane
>> toads will pale
>>>> into insignificance against that of Gamba Grass, and I
>> can't see any
>>>> body, Government or otherwise, investing much money in
>> fighting that
>>>> weed!
>>>>
>>>> Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow
>>>> PO Box 71, Darwin River,
>>>> NT 0841
>>>> 043 8650 835
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 7/7/13 9:48 PM, "David Clark" <> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I am currently travelling through northwestern Queensland
>>>> and I have
>>>>> been surprised at the number of feral cats scavenging around
>>>>> campsites, crossing roads in broad daylight and feeding
>> on roadkill.
>>>>>
>>>>> My first response was to bemoan the increase in the population of
>>>>> feral cats and to wonder about what damage they are doing
>>>> to native fauna.
>>>>> However, the situation is not that simple.
>>>>>
>>>>> There has been no wet season for the past two years and the seed
>>>>> bearing plants haven't produced seeds. This has had a
>>>> dramatic impact
>>>>> on the numbers of seed eaters, particularly finches and
>>>> small rodents.
>>>>> The latter are the main prey of feral cats and, in their
>>>> absence, the
>>>>> cats are starving. There is not an increase in the feral cat
>>>>> population; the starving survivors are congregating where
>> they may
>>>>> find food and are more visible to the casual observer than
>>>> they are in normal conditions.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm not saying that feral cats aren't a problem but, in terms of
>>>>> impact on native animals, they come in well behind the Cane Toad.
>>>>> Goannas used to be common in the area through which I am
>> travelling
>>>>> but not anymore. Olive Pythons are absent from most of
>>>> their range.
>>>>> A dead Freshwater Crocodile floating down the creek two
>>>> days ago was
>>>>> most likely a victim of Cane Toad poison. The Kites are
>> back, and
>>>>> have presumably learned to avoid Cane Toads.
>>>>>
>>>>> There is a lot of local concern about feral cats and many
>>>> of the north
>>>>> Queensland shires offer a bounty on cats' tails. While
>>>> that may put
>>>>> some money into the pockets of local people, it won't
>>>> really address
>>>>> the problem and I'm not sure that Governments are prepared
>>>> to invest
>>>>> the money necessary to control feral cats, Cane Toads,
>> feral pigs,
>>>>> feral camels, feral goats, feral dogs, Common Mynas, etc, etc.
>>>>>
>>>>> Cheers
>>>>>
>>>>> David
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sat, Jul 6, 2013 at 6:21 PM, Peter Morgan
>>>> <> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> We felt sickened when we found a large ginger tabby curled
>>>> up in what
>>>>>> we presume is a Letter-wing Kite nest in the tree where
>> we found a
>>>>>> family of 2 adults and 2 young last year in SA. Bev got
>> one poor
>>>>>> photo, but the cat scooted down and out of the tree as she
>>>> approached to get better shots.
>>>>>> We have seen more cats on this trip through NSW, Qld,
>> and SA than
>>>>>> ever before. Today, we watched a large grey cat stalking
>>>> a huge mob
>>>>>> of Little Corella feeding on the ground just after we
>> came out of
>>>>>> Sturt NP on our way to Tibboburra.
>>>>>> Throughout the trip, we have had many locals, some from
>>>> the grazing
>>>>>> industry, bemoaning the number of cats and the damage they
>>>> are doing.
>>>>>> One suggested that explosion of bush rats in western Qld
>>>> in 2011 led
>>>>>> to an increase in cats that lives on to this day.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Peter and Bev Morgan
>>>>>> ===============================
>>>>>>
>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message:
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>>>>>> to:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://birding-aus.org
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>>
>>
>>
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