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Re: invasive species (in Texas)
I was having a conversation with a very knowledgeable
aquarist here in Houston. We were talking about the
San Marcos River, and the plant life that exists
there. All those aquarium plants in the river it
turns out, according to him, were introduced when they
washed into the river from an outfit (I forget the
name) nearby.
And so I said, "wow, people must have been really
upset."
He says, "No, they love it! The river is 10 times
more beautiful now!"
Of course, I am sure that *some* people are upset.
But I think this happened in the 1960s.
We in the hobby have the responsibility of keeping
these plants away from bodies of water. Short of
physically adding them to waterways, what are the ways
that they end up where they shouldn't be?
What if you are growing in a small backyard pond?
Will seeds find their way elsewhere? I don't know.
Having said that, if we in the hobby don't lobby for
the availability of aquarium plants, then nobody will.
I think there is a middle ground. Some plants are
restricted already, and I'm not sure of the utility of
further restrictions without scientific evidence. A
goal of 100% prevention is extreme, in my opinion.
Arthur
http://www.geocities.com/anwestover
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