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The mushroom ribs is here to stop. The fungus was discovered for the first time in Sweden in 2017. The species expands very quickly in our most rich sandy forests.
1/2foto: Tommy Knutson/SLU/TT
Invasive species are increasing sharply in the country according to a new survey. Many of these can cause great damage to the environment. Garden plants are found among the designated risks.
It is the Art Databan at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) that has done a review of more than 5,500 species and a total of 451 that is classified as being a high or very high risk. This is significantly more than in the last review that was published in 2018.
– It is a little scary that we have received so many more species that can create problems since last, it goes very fast, says Mora Aronsson, method manager for the risk classification at SLU Artdatabanken.
A warmer climate is one of the reasons behind the increase. This means that more species are able to establish themselves and can be spread, even north in the country.
“Lost year”
– One problem is that 2023 was a bit of a lost year in the fight against invasive species. Then the state funds for control were removed. They returned in 2024, but the county administrative boards are lagging behind, says Mora Aronsson.
He says that many municipalities, organizations and even authorities do a big job.
– The Swedish Transport Administration works a lot to get rid of, among other things, Parkslide that grows under track and road banks and undermines them.
Garden plants
The new risk list shows that garden plants are an increasing problem. An example is oxygen buddy, or butterfly bush that is becoming more and more common in southern Sweden.
– It has been marketed because it benefits butterflies but it has become a bit of a new lupine, it spreads and competes out other plants.
In addition to some invasive species knocking out other vegetation and animals, they have financial consequences when destroying environments in, for example, roads and railways. They can also host diseases that affect the domestic species.
Anyone who detects an invasive species can report it to, for example, artportalen.se.
– Invasive species can have a major negative impact. Through early discovery, both organic damage and financial costs can decrease, says Mora Aronsson.
Facts: Invasive Species with Myckey High Risk
Examples of species that are classified to be very high risk:
• German salary
• Alpslide
• Horse chestnut
• Giant dew
• Giant balsam
• Syrenbuddleja
• Parkslide
• Killer snail
• Kvagga mussel
• oyster plague
• New Zealand thousand
The risk outcome is based on two main parts: invasion potential and ecological effect. A species invasion potential is determined by its ability to establish viable populations and to spread. The ecological effect is determined by the effect the nature can have on domestic species and types of nature.
Source: SLU
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