Scientists warn of possible invasive species superspreader event due to stalling near Strait of Hormuz 25JUL26

 

Risky Routes: How Invasive Biofoulers Can Spawn On Ships In Transit

THIS is a serious risk, has been a serious risk for generations but countries have only started paying attention to it since their invasive species started showing up and damaging their own ports and waterways. Sadly, with this many ships trapped and so accumulating biofouling on their hulls once the war is over and shipping is permitted to resume it is expected the vast majority of ships will depart before being cleaned. The life in our oceans, our waterways, are in for a rough go. Problems Caused by Fouling: Slow Speed: Extra drag cuts cruising speed by 10% to over 85%, High Fuel Use: Rough surfaces force engines to burn up to 40% more fuel., Bad Weeds: Spreads foreign plants and animals to new seas. This from ABC News.....

Scientists warn of possible invasive species superspreader event due to stalling near Strait of Hormuz

Over 1,500 ships are idle in the Persian Gulf, hundreds more in Gulf of Oman.

ByJulia Jacobo

July 25, 2026, 11:22 AM

A possible ecological catastrophe could be fueled by stalled ships as conflict over the Strait of Hormuz continues to block traffic on the passageway, scientists say.

The Strait of Hormuz has been a major source of contention since the war with Iran broke out in February. In retaliation to the ongoing conflict, Iran has intermittently caused a decline of tanker traffic through the critical waterway, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman for the passage of around 20% of the world's oil supply, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

But continued closures at the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a super-spreader event of invasive species as marine organisms attach to the idle vessels and get transported to other ecosystems around the world, according to a paper published Wednesday in the journal Biological Invasions.

This is because prolonged stationary periods can lead to substantial biofouling on ships, according to the paper. Buildup can include microorganisms, algae, plants and invertebrates.

The biofilm grows on the side of the commercial ships and then gets transported around the world as the vessels travel from port to port, Mario Tamburri, a marine ecologist at the University of Maryland's Center for Environmental Science and lead author of the study, told ABC News.

Once invasive species take hold of a foreign ecosystem, it's nearly impossible to get rid of them, Tamburri said.

"We know that these invading invading organisms can cause millions of dollars' worth of damage and impact -- commercial operations like aquaculture and fisheries -- and change the environment," Tamburri said.

One example is the zebra mussels in the Great Lakes, Tamburri said. Native to the Caspian and Black Seas south of Russia and Ukraine, zebra mussels quickly spread in the Great Lakes in the 1980s and are now present in the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers, according to the National Park Service. They have also now spread to the West Coast due to human transport.

There is little to be done to remove zebra mussels once they have become established in a body of water, according to the NPS. Ecologists have been "battling" with the invasive species for 50 years, Tamburri said.

Ships are typically coated with an "anti-fouling" paint, formulated with chemicals to prevent marine animals from adhering to or growing on them, Tamburri said.

But when ships sit around for a long time, the coatings no longer work well, allowing for the possibility of "extensive growth." During the COVID-19 pandemic, many ships around the world were stalled for long periods of time, allowing for that kind of growth, Tamburri added.

Currently, the Strait of Hormuz is experiencing severe disruptions. Last week, the the U.S. resumed its naval blockade on the strait after Iran fired upon oil tankers in it.

More than 1,500 ships remain idle in the  Persian Gulf and hundreds more are anchored in the Gulf of Oman, according to the paper.

The types of organisms that live in the region's unique ecological system also exacerbate the risk of a superspreader event, Tamburri said.

The marine organisms that live within the Strait of Hormuz are especially "hardy" and "robust" because they have adapted to high salinity and warm temperatures, which increases the likelihood that they can spread and survive in other environments, Tamburri said.

"If you can survive high temperatures, high salinities, you can probably survive long ship voyages," he said.

What's currently happening in the Strait of Hormuz -- and the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman by extension -- is "probably a worst-case scenario," Tamburri said, especially since the already-warm waters in the region are heating up even more during the summer months.

The combination of extensive biofouling growth, species accumulation and the sheer number, size and global reach of affected vessels has created an immense international biosecurity threat, according to the paper.

"All these marine organisms, invertebrates like barnacles and mussels and algae -- they start growing and reproducing," he said. "They start growing and reproducing, and they're sitting in this warm soup of nutrient-rich water."

The ships, which are essentially stranded in clusters, then become vessels for the biofoul to spread around the world once they leave the global shipping hub.

In addition, stressed ecosystems, such as industrial ports, are highly vulnerable to bioinvasion because disturbances allow for fast-growing opportunistic species to establish themselves, the paper states.

It usually takes extreme, costly measures to even attempt to eradicate invasive marine species, so the key is prevention and early detection, Tamburri said.

Many shipping ports have in-water cleaning services, in which divers scrape off the biofoul to remove the material. Ecologists recommend taking it a step further, and having the divers use a vacuum-like device as well to avoid putting the live organisms back into the water, only to attach to another ship.

"If at all possible, ships really need to try to clean their hulls before they leave," Tamburri said.

In the future, more regulations may be established to turn away ships that are too heavily fouled, Tamburri said. Currently, all vessels entering New Zealand waters are required to have a clean hull to reduce the risk of biofouling pests. The International Maritime Organization is also pushing to strengthen biofouling regulations.

‘World’s Worst Invasive Weed’ Sold at Many U.S. Garden Centers 20AUG21

 WE would all do well to keep this article on our phones and if we see any of these being sold report the offending business to our state's department of environmental resources. From Smithsonian Magazine.....

‘World’s Worst Invasive Weed’ Sold at Many U.S. Garden Centers

Banned by federal and state regulators, many invasive plants are still being sold at garden centers, nurseries and online retailers nationwide

Cogongrass in bloom during early summer. (Fred Singleton, Department of Plant Industry, Clemson University)

By David Kindy

SMITHSONIANMAG.COM
AUGUST 20, 2021

A homeowner heads to the garden center to buy ornamental grass for the yard. They plant it, thinking it is a good way to green things up—only to find the new variety soon takes over the garden bed and spreads to other yards.

It’s a common problem with cogongrass—labeled one of “the world’s worst invasive weeds” by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and banned by federal legislation. It’s also a growing issue, reports a new study by the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Researchers discovered that cogongrass and nearly 1,300 other invasive plants are currently being sold in nurseries, garden centers and online retailers around the country. A number of these species are banned by the Federal Noxious Weed Act, as well as by state regulations.

Cogongrass is by far “the most concerning case of federally designated noxious weed sales,” lead author Evelyn M. Beaury, a graduate student in organismic and evolutionary biology at UMass, says in a statement. She and her colleagues found that Imperata cylindrica was being sold by 33 vendors in 17 states.

Cogongrass seedheads as they appear in early summer. (Steve Compton, Department of Plant Industry, Clemson University)

“This is a tricky case because plant breeders are marketing a sterile cultivar,” she adds. “But research shows these plants are not completely sterile and can still become invasive.”

Native to Southeast Asia, cogongrass is now established in several states. Eradication is difficult and costly. According to the USDA, there are “no known effective biological control methods,” reports Cheryl Santa Maria for The Weather Network.

Published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, the study searched Google and a database of nursery catalogs to identify invasive plants still being sold in the United States. The information was gathered from 1,330 nurseries, garden centers and online retailers, including Amazon and eBay.

The researchers discovered that 61 percent of 1,285 invasive plant species remain available through the plant trade, including 50 percent of state-regulated species and 20 percent of federal noxious weeds, reports Chrissy Sexton of Earth.com.

One particularly problematic plant is European frogbit, which is banned in Wisconsin and other states. The lily pad-like species was once used as an ornamental planting but was outlawed because of its ability to take over ponds and choke out other vegetation.

“Once introduced, natural dispersal is also possible given its ability to overwinter and spread rapidly,” Amanda Smith, an invasive species specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, tells Kent Tempus of the Green Bay Press Gazette.

Other invasive species being sold include Japanese barberry, Chinese privet, whitetop, Norway maple, Brazilian peppertree, Russian olive, garlic mustard, yellow star thistle, Canada thistle, kudzu and Johnsongrass, among others, the study states.

Researchers report the proliferation of these plants continues due to an inconsistent approach to enforcement by federal and state regulators. However, the study concludes that consumers need to be more aware of what they are buying.

“While patchy state regulations definitely contribute to the widespread availability of invasive plants in the U.S., it’s clear we as a public also lack awareness about which plants are invasive and how they spread to new areas,” Beaury says.

One good thing: the study is generating interest by enforcement agencies who want to crack down on illegal sales.

“We’ve already heard from state regulators that have used our results to follow up with growers selling invasive species,” Beaury says in the report. “This is great news, and if we want to continue to protect native ecosystems, regulators and managers need more resources to do so.”

Man has spent more than 40 days on ventilator after handling invasive plant species & Poison hemlock widespread in Pennsylvania, dangerous for humans & animals 14&17JUN21

 I grew up in Pennsylvania, in very rural Scandia, Elk Township, Warren County, PA and I do not remember poison hemlock being a danger we had to watch out for.  Still it is best to pass this on to try to keep all safe and healthy....

Man has spent more than 40 days on ventilator after handling invasive plant species

by CHRISTIAN HAUSER, WKRC Staff

Monday, June 14th 2021

MADEIRA, Ohio (WKRC) - Many of us heard the saying "leaves of three, leave it be" to talk about poison ivy, but an invasive species that can be deadly to animals and humans popping up across the Tri-State is something you need to be on the lookout for.

It's called poison hemlock and Jeanne LeBlond's husband has been in the hospital for 41 days because of it. He's been unable to breathe on his own after he was exposed to it doing yard work.

"We thought he was dehydrated. So, he drank a bunch of water and we watched a show on TV and then we went to bed," LeBlond said.

Around 2 that morning, LeBlond says her husband couldn't breathe. They went to the hospital and he was admitted but he continued getting worse over the next day.

"He is at this point, in the ICU on a ventilator, on a chest tube bleeding from his lungs and on a feeding tube," LeBlond said.

Doctors initially thought it might be COVID-19 due to the lung damage, but his tests came back negative.

"I thought I was going to lose him. It was really bad. He was unconscious. He was not breathing on his own. He was not able to swallow or eat or do anything," LeBlond said.

LeBlond thought it must have had something to do with the yard work. She asked her husband if he handled anything he hadn't seen before, and he said, "Yes." He then described what he’d dealt with.

"My son and I looked for pictures on Google, and we showed him pictures of poisonous plants in Ohio and he said, 'That's it right there.' It was poison hemlock," LeBlond said.

LeBlond’s husband went to the hospital in May. Jeanne is hopeful he will be home by August, but that can't happen until he is off the machines keeping him alive right now.

Invasive species expert and Ohio State University assistant professor Joe Boggs say poison hemlock has really exploded in the Greater Cincinnati area over the past 10 to 15 years.

He says you should always know what you're dealing with when it comes to plants. When it comes to poison hemlock, he says just use an herbicide on it if you don’t know what you’re doing.

"The danger is so significant that herbicides are probably the safest thing for any person who's trying to get rid of it," Boggs said.

Boggs says it’s not just poison hemlock you need to watch out for. Wild parsnips also tend to grow in the same areas as wild hemlock. The wild parsnips can cause severe burns when the sap gets on the skin and it’s exposed to sunlight.

Poison hemlock widespread in Pennsylvania, dangerous for humans & animals

by: Peyton Kennedy

Posted: Jun 17, 2021 / 06:37 PM EDT / Updated: Jun 17, 2021 / 06:37 PM EDT

CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — Poison hemlock is an invasive species, currently at its peak bloom, along highways, waterways, and in pastures.

What may look like a tall, delicate white flower, packs a potentially deadly punch.

“It can cause different types of muscular paralysis and respiratory failure.”

DWIGHT LINGENFELTER, PENN STATE EXTENSION ASSOCIATE IN WEED SCIENCE.

History buffs may know the plant in relation to Socrates.

“He was given the option of his demise, and he chose to drink tea that had poison hemlock in it,” Lingenfelter said.

The plant has a musty smell and can smell like parsley when crushed. Consuming it, however, has significant effects on humans, wild animals, and pets.

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If you find it in your yard, you can remove it with a shovel, but be sure to wear gloves and long pants.

“Some people are sensitive to the saps of the plants, it actually can cause some dermatitis or some skin blistering,” said Lingenfelter. “Especially if you’re weed whacking it, for example, to make sure that you have pants, not shorts, cause you get the sap all over your legs and shins and it can cause some irritation.” 

Because of the potential dangers, Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to keep an eye out for the white flowers with purple spotted stems this summer.

Giant Hogweed, The Plant That Causes Burns And Permanent Blindness, Is Spreading In The US 19JUN18

I have seen a couple of these back home in Pennsylvania, they were taller than me (I'm 5'7")! I don't really care for herbicides but I won't hesitate to use it on these nasty plants! Share this article from BuzzFeed with everyone......

Giant Hogweed, The Plant That Causes Burns And Permanent Blindness, Is Spreading In The US

This is the giant hogweed. Seems like a regular old plant, right?

Ullstein Bild / Getty Images / Via gettyimages.com

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WRONG. This is an evil, demon plant and you should avoid it at all costs.

Ullstein Bild / Getty Images / Via gettyimages.com

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Giant hogweed is an invasive species that's known to grow in some states in the US, but last week it was discovered for the first time in Virginia.

Facebook: MasseyHerbarium

Giant hogweed, or Heracleum mantegazzianum, is a large, flowering, perennial plant. It's native to the Caucasus Mountain region in Asia and was introduced to the US in the early 1900s as a garden plant, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).

It is an invasive species that is known to grow in New York, Vermont, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, and Washington. Giant hogweed is listed as a noxious weed by the federal government, which means it's illegal to transport across state lines without a permit.

The Massey Herbarium at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and University, which researches plant species in the state, wrote in a Facebook post that it had identified Virginia's first giant hogweed population. The organization discovered about 30 plants in Clarke County, which is located in the Northern part of the state, about 60 miles west of Washington, DC.

This invasive species isn't just a problem for the environment — it's also a health hazard.

The giant hogweed's sap can cause blistering burns on the skin, long-lasting scars, and even permanent blindness.

Bob Kleinberg / NYS DEC

The plant produces a toxic sap full of photosensitizing furanocoumarins, which are organic chemicals that can do some serious damage. When the sap makes contact with the skin and is combined with sunlight it can cause severe irritation, burns, and blisters (also called phytophotodermatitis), according to NYSDEC.
Basically, the sap makes the skin incredibly photosensitive so it can't protect itself and sunlight causes a third-degree burn. (That's the most serious type of burn and the outer skin layer, or epidermis, is harmed, in addition to the layers underneath, or dermis.) The irritation can worsen if there is moisture, such as dew on the plant or sweat on the skin. People are usually exposed to the sap when they brush against the bristles of the plant or break the stems and leaves.
The skin reaction can start as soon as 15 minutes after exposure. It usually takes about 48 hours for the painful blisters to form, which can then become pigmented and scab over. It can take weeks to heal and the scars from hogweed burns can last for months or even years.
Scars aren't the only permanent damage resulting from contact with a hogweed. If the sap gets into the eyes, it can burn the cornea (the eye's outermost layer) and cause permanent blindness.

This botanical nightmare can grow up to 14 feet tall and you'll find it in forests, yards, fields, and roadsides. Do not touch it.

Ullstein Bild / Getty Images / Via gettyimages.com

The giant hogweed is an absolute unit. It can take a few years for the plant to mature and start producing flowers, which is when it's easiest to recognize. The hogweed can grow to towering heights and sprout leaves up to 5 feet wide and has flowers up to 2.5 feet wide.

These plants can also live for decades and have long taproots that make them especially hardy and difficult to remove. Giant hogweed can grow anywhere — gardens, backyards, along streams and rivers, hiking trails — so it's important to know what the plant looks like so you can avoid it in the future.

Giant hogweed is a tall plant with white flowers in umbrella-like clusters, lobed leaves, and stems covered in purplish-red spots. But the plant isn't always easy to identify and can be easy to confuse with other flowering plants like Queen Anne's Lace. Queen Anne's Lace, which is also known as wild carrot, is beautiful, harmless, and can be found in wedding bouquets and roadsides near you — so don't mistake it for the giant hogweed!

You can consult the NYSDEC hogweed identification guide to learn how to spot the dangerous plant.

Do not go near or touch this plant. The sap is concentrated on the stems but it can get anywhere on the plant or its flowers. If you need to remove giant hogweed on your property, wear gloves, cover any exposed skin, and wash all clothes and equipment that touch the plant afterward. Here's a complete list of hogweed removal safety guidelines.

If you are exposed to giant hogweed sap, wash your skin with cold water, stay out of sunlight, and consult a physician if you have concerns.



Gavin Edmondstone / Flickr CC / Via Flickr: gavin_edmondstone

If the worst happens, there are steps you can take to ease the pain and reduce the severity of the reaction. First you should wash the area of skin immediately with cold water. Because the sap makes the skin photosensitive, keep the exposed area out of sunlight for at least 48 hours, according to NYSDEC. If you get sap in your eyes, wash them out immediately and wear sunglasses.

Once the skin reaction starts, you can use topical steroids such as calamine lotion or painkilling creams to ease inflammation and discomfort. It's a good idea to stay out of the sun and wear protective clothing or sunscreen until it has healed — the scars can be sensitive to sunlight for years.

If you ever have any questions or concerns about a reaction to giant hogweed sap, contact a physician.

There you have it — beware of this monster plant. It is out to get you.



Dea / Getty Images / Via gettyimages.com