insert_link Environment Tiny weevils are waging war on the invasive water lettuce plant choking South Africa’s Vaal River By Julie Coetzee, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes L.), also known as Nile cabbage, is a free-floating aquatic plant from the family Araceae, the same family as the arum lily. It’s found on every continent except Antarctica and grows well in tropical to sub-tropical climates. Research suggests it may have originated in South America because it has natural enemies there which have […] todayApril 10, 2024 27
insert_link Africa Livelihoods at stake as Lake Victoria’s papyrus swamps come under pressure: Photos By Patrick Newcombe, via MongaBay The papyrus swamps at the edges of Lake Victoria in East Africa have for generations provided a livelihood to communities living here. While some harvest reeds to make into mats, baskets, and handicrafts, others catch the plentiful fish that nurse in the shelter of the reedbeds. The swamps are also home to birds that have become specialized to live amidst the papyrus reeds in a […] todayFebruary 7, 2024 21
