THE Chinese tallow tree is invading the US Gulf coast forests, replacing the region鈥檚 native hardwoods. The tree鈥檚 advance is a direct consequence of the ecological disruption caused by hurricanes Rita and Katrina. Around 13.6 million cubic metres of hardwood, mainly sugarberry, oak, elm and sweetgum, were blown down in the 2005 storms.
The tallow tree, an ornamental species introduced by Benjamin Franklin in 1772, can quickly grow to 10 metres and is resilient to many pests. It is now rapidly taking over gaps in the forests understorey, US Geological Survey biologist Stephen Faulkner told the Ecological Society of America meeting in Memphis, Tennessee, last week.
