Lesson III      Why Do We Need to Manage Plants, Anyway?

Overview: Prevention is the best way to keep invasive plants out of Florida’s natural areas. However, because there are so many non-native invasive plants already here (130+), plant management is necessary to protect our native habitats and keep our waterways, bridges and flood control devices working properly. The good news is that management techniques being used today are based on years of research and testing; when rules and guidelines are followed, everyone wins.

PPT = PowerPoint™ Presentation

UE = upper elementary

MS = middle school

HS = high school

 

 

Key Points

1. Keeping invasive plants "under control" is a tough job with many challenges: Aside from the technical difficulties of controlling thousands of acres of invasive plants, there are also conflicts that arise between user groups (people) who don't understand why we need to "manage" invasive plants.
2. If we don't manage invasive plants, they are capable of doing tremendous harm to Florida’s native habitats, flood control, water quality, transportation, recreational opportunities and  — consequently — our economy.
3. There are four types of management techniques used: biological  / chemical  / mechanical  / physical
4. It's important to "maintain" invasive plants at the lowest levels possible to prevent them from becoming a problem in the first place. (It's extremely expensive to get invasive plants back under control, once they "get away" from us.)
5. Prevention is the best way to fight invasive plants but it's also important to get involved and learn more about invasive plants and help by explaining to others that plant management is crucial to protecting Florida's natural areas and wild places.

 

Keywords

aquatic, biological control (biocontrol), chemical control, crisis management, environment, flood control, habitat, herbicide, hydrilla, infestations, invasive plants, maintenance control, mechanical control, native, native habitat, non-native, physical removal, plant management, public awareness, prevention, recreational use, water hyacinth, weed

 

Concept Map

'Why Manage Plants?' (PDF 109 KB)
'Why Manage Plants?' Blank (PDF 74 KB)

 

Main Activities

• Why Manage Invasive Plants ? PPT (MS, HS) -  Provides a brief history of invasive plant management in Florida, featuring our two worst invasive plant species: hydrilla and water hyacinth. Reasons for managing plants are discussed along with the concept of "maintenance control" and other strategies / methods used for controlling nuisance plants. Downloadable viewing questions and keywords; answers are provided at the end.
  PowerPoint™ Notes - Word Document (101 KB) | PDF File (49 KB) | HTML

• FCAT Water Hyacinth — Then & Now  (UE, MS, HS) -  this writing activity is designed to give students a historical perspective on managing water hyacinth; though it is currently being controlled successfully in most parts of Florida, it wasn't always the case.                  

• Hydrilla Weed Alert Activity (MS, HS) -  (Note: Advanced reading level.) Raise student awareness of the problems associated with invasive aquatic plants in Florida, how they are managed, and the associated costs – both to the environment and economy.

• Water Hyacinth Weed Alert Activity (MS, HS) -  (Note: Advanced reading level.) Raise student awareness of the problems associated with invasive aquatic plants in Florida, how they are managed, and the associated costs – both to the environment and economy. 

• Why Manage Invasive Plants Word Search(UE, MS) – Students develop "plant management" vocabulary by searching and identifying keywords.

• Why Manage Invasive Plants Crossword Puzzle (UE, MS) – Students develop "plant management" vocabulary by reading clues and completing a crossword puzzle.

 

Lab Activities

• Biological control of invasive plants: Effects of Agasicles hygrophila on alligatorweed growth — students calculate mean growth of infested and control plants based on three parameters: an increase in number of leaves during two weeks; an increase in number of stem nodes during the two weeks; an increase in plant height during two weeks. An average damage score is then calculated.  (UF Brain Bowl Laboratory Exercise, Courtesy of Bill Holt -- UF/IFAS Indian River Research & Education).
  Lab - PDF (180 KB)
  Biological Control Fact Sheet - Word (132 KB)

• Biological control of invasive plants: Alligatorweed Flea Beetle Feed Preference Lab – Students will  (1) study eating habits of the alligatorweed flea beetle (Agasicles hygrophila), (2) determine which type of plant it prefers, (3) study the effectiveness of the alligatorweed flea beetle as a biological weed control, (4) determine which life cycle stage has the greatest impact on the plant. - Coming soon.

• Invasive Plant Survey – This activity is designed to be used over a period of time so students can observe the ecological systems that are being invaded with non-native plants. - Coming soon.

• Growth Patterns of Two Invasive Plants –Students will study the growth patterns of two invasive plants in Florida by comparing data for the Water Hyacinth and Hydrilla. - Coming soon.

• An Herbicide Application Simulation (MS & HS) - Coming soon.

 

Additional Resources (activities, fact sheets, labs, illustrations, etc.)

 

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