Research Paper

Emelyn Lopez

Mr. Skipper

Encounters 8

January 19, 2023

The Fishing Pole Invasion

Introduction

Plants around the world usually have good benefits for their habitats, but some take over others. This is because they are brought to a non-native land that they can invade. An example of this is the Golden Bamboo that started its invasion in 1882 when it first arrived in the United States as an imported fishing pole from China (Golden Bamboo - Phyllostachys aurea). The plant since then has taken over properties, forests, and other habitats. The growth of the plant is not too beneficial to its invasive actions since it grows incredibly fast and tall. Many have tried to get rid of it, but some are no help at all. People usually have it as protection for their property, but without realizing the damage. But not everyone does the same because some people try to get rid of it. From the time that the bamboo was first introduced to now a lot of time has passed, and a lot of growth has happened. With all of the bad actions that were brought to the U.S., some don’t think that its removal from the country will be possible.

Taxonomy and Description

The Golden Bamboo is a tall, scary, and strong plant classified as a Phyllostachys plant. A Phyllostachys plant is a genus of Asian Bamboo in the grass family; many are found in the Southern Central parts of China (Kling, Andrew). They are rapidly spreading throughout the world. The golden bamboo is one of the tallest plants in the world and can grow up to forty feet in height (Golden Bamboo, Texas Invasive Species).  They usually take to grow their highest for about 60 to 90 days (Golden Bamboo, Lewis Bamboo). Growing at this speed is helpful for them to get their needed amount of rain and sunlight that is best consumed when a plant is closer to the sky. They always grow in large amounts, which can form forests. Their tallness can also contribute to their strength. While getting taller they can also get stronger, in fact, golden bamboo is stronger than steel having a 28,000 tensile strength (Vyas). This makes getting rid of bamboo extremely difficult. Since they are strong and tall the roots are also the same, which makes the job of getting rid of them twice as hard. Their strength is beneficial in making everyday products, like paper, houses, and many more. With all these characteristics, they make themselves one of the best but worst invasive species for humans and those that surround them.

Introduction to Non-Native Habitat

Today plants can be found in any part of the world, even if their origin is hundreds of miles from their location. The Golden Bamboo is one of them, they are originally found in Southeastern parts of China, but it can rapidly grow and reproduce in its non-native habitats, due to the small number of nutrients it needs. Bamboo can now be found in many parts of the United States like Texas, California, Florida, Hawaii, and many more states located in the East (Golden Bamboo, Texas Invasive Species Institute). This species was first introduced to the United States in 1882 in Montgomery, Alabama, they were being used as fishing poles once the stem reached their mature state (Golden Bamboo - Phyllostachys aurea). It was then started to be imported into the U.S. for peoples’ personal use as a way to have privacy in their houses or for decoration (Golden Bamboo, Texas Invasive Species Institute). This made the species even easier for them to reproduce and spread. When a plant comes into a new environment it usually needs the right type of weather and soil, but with golden bamboo, the temperatures can be as low as -4° Fahrenheit (Gucker). These factors make the reproduction of bamboo even easier for them. Not only can they adapt and survive in their own environment, but they can also take over other native plants' land. When this action occurs the native plants start their extinction which is non-beneficial for those who live in that environment or habitat. To this day in the United States, the Golden Bamboo population is still growing at a fast speed every single day. Since the start of its importation to the country it hasn't lowered its population, but many tries have been made in trying to save the ecosystems it has destroyed or is being destroyed.

Adverse Effects

The golden bamboo has had many unfavorable effects on the ecological, and environmental side of the United States by taking over other plants and animals that live in those parts. Bamboo also has unpleasant impacts on the economics of the U.S., every time it takes over properties. The reason golden bamboo is such a problem in the United States is because of its immense ability to reproduce at such a fast speed. The golden bamboo is slowly taking over the living organisms that surround it. It usually takes over the environment in which smaller native plants live (Golden Bamboo, Western Pennsylvania). It affects not only plants and animals in the environment but also can interfere with food webs. For example, when bamboo blocks waterways in streams this is what makes the food webs dislocate and that is extremely difficult to fix (Wanted: ‘Golden Bamboo’). Bamboo can also be hard to get rid of because of its rhizomes since the plant can keep on growing, even without the above-ground plant. The perfect way to get rid of its rhizomes is by excavating the roots of the ground (Kling, Andrew). When this is done the rhizomes should be decomposed because they can still be moved by animals, yard wastes, roadside blows, etc. The bamboo can also take over lands that have been affected by fire since the rhizomes are protected in the ground (Golden Bamboo - Phyllostachys aurea). These factors contribute to the adverse economic effects on the country. Removing this bamboo is really costly, and hard to do. This contributes to the many invasive species that make the United States pay for the damages that they make, which is usually about $26 billion dollars a year (Economic and Social Impacts). When the bamboo gets to urban regions its roots can also take over the sidewalks, driveways, damaged buildings, and even take over houses (Golden Bamboo - Phyllostachys aurea). All of this can contribute to negative costly results in the areas.

Conclusion

Golden Bamboo has tried to be controlled since it first came to the United States in the 1880s. Depending on the area it grows in it is controlled and managed in different ways. For example, in colder climates bamboo grows at a slower rate than in warmer climates which makes getting rid of it part easier in those colder regions (Golden Bamboo, Lewis Bamboo). When trying to control the plant or to get rid of it, is really important to get rid of its underground roots called rhizomes (Kling, Andrew). If this step is not done or the Golden Bamboo is just cut above ground, it can still grow back to its original size. Not Everyone who has bamboo or wants to get rid of it knows this, so it makes it harder for its eradication process. Some people have it as decor or as protection which doesn’t contribute to the action of getting rid of it even harder to achieve (Golden Bamboo, Texas Invasive Species Institute). When people have the plant on their property animals are able to make the bamboo go from place to place. This factor is not as controllable unless the government makes laws about bamboo. The eradication of the golden bamboo will take longer if people don’t take any role in the process.

Works Cited

“Economic and Social Impacts.”, U.S. Department of Agriculture

www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/subject/economic-and-social-impacts 

“Golden Bamboo.” Lewis Bamboo, lewisbamboo.com/products/golden-bamboo.

“Golden Bamboo - Phyllostachys aurea.” Sea Grant Pennsylvania, seagrant.psu.edu/sites/default/files/Golden%20Bamboo%20Fact%20Sheet%202018.pd.

“Golden Bamboo.” Texas Invasive Species Institute, 15 Nov. 2022, www.tsusinvasives.org/home/database/phyllostachys-aurea.

Gucker, Corey. “Phyllostachys Aurea.” Fire Effects Information System, www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/graminoid/phyaur/all.html.

“Golden Bamboo.” Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, 24 June 2021, waterlandlife.org/invasives/golden-bamboo/.

Kling, Andrew. “Invasives in Your Woodland: Golden Bamboo.” Invasives in Your Woodland: Golden Bamboo | University of Maryland Extension, 3 May. 2022, extension.umd.edu/resource/invasives-your-woodland-golden-bamboo. 

Vyas, Kashyap. “Bamboo as a replacement to steel.” Interesting Engineering, 11 Jan. 2020, interestingengineering.com/innovation/bamboo-as-a-replacement-to-steel.

“Wanted: ‘Golden Bamboo’.” Invasive Golden Bamboo, invasivegoldenbamboo.wordpress.com/