 EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes
and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and
archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


 From North America to the Holy Land

   October 12, 2021


    Menashe_Sept21_Picture1

    Menashe_invasive_Picture2

   Photographer:  Menashe Davidson

   Summary Author:  Menashe Davidson

    Heterotheca subaxillaris (camphor weed), a North American plant, is
   an important  invasive species in the Middle East. This plant was
   introduced in Israel in 1975 to stabilize the  coastal sand dunes in
   Israel. It quickly occupied areas that hadn’t yet been exploited by
   native species. A rapid evolutionary change occurred within the
   introduced populations, favoring root resources allocation, that
   allowed this species to establish and expand its range, thus
   successfully invading the ecosystems of coastal areas and eventually
   the soils of cultivated lands.

   The above photos were taken in my  citrus plantation, in Tira,
   Israel, on May 2021. They demonstrate the evolutionary changes that
   enable this species to access any moisture in the ground, gain
   nutrients from the soil and flower under the hot, summer sunlight.

   Picture 1- Citrus plantation plot. Notice that it’s free of weeds

   Picture 2 – Adjacent plot. Here, the citrus trees were uprooted one
   year ago. This plot is now infested with Heterotheca.

   Picture 3 – The camphor weed reproduces only by seeds. Hairs on the
   small seeds assist wind dispersal.

   Picture 4 – Seedlings of Heterotheca germinate in the wet soil of
    drip irrigation, along the margins of the citrus plot. A basal
   rosette of leaves grows from which a tall shoot emerges carrying a
   number of flowers.

   Bottom photo: Invasive plant in 1-year old citrus plantation.
     * Tira, Israel Coordinates: 32.2355, 34.9505

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Plant Links

     *  Discover Life
     *  Tree Encyclopedia
     *  What are Phytoplankton?
     *  Encyclopedia of Life - What is a Plant?
     *  USDA Plants Database
     *  University of Texas Native Plant Database
     *  Plants in Motion
     *  What Tree is It?

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   Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the  Universities
   Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu
 
