The Link Between Japanese Barberry, Ticks and Lyme Disease
Research has shown that Japanese barberry infested forests have approximately 120 ticks infected with the Lyme disease bacteria per acre. Compare that to approximately 10 infected ticks per acre found in forested areas with native trees and shrubs and no Japanese barberry.
It seems that stands of Japanese barberry retain humidity. And ticks need an environment with about 80% humidity to actively feed, quest and reproduce. By measuring humidity levels above and at ground level under the barberry foliage, Humidity levels under Japanese barberry dip below 80% for only one hour per day. In open, sunny areas with no Japanese barberry, the exact opposite is true. The humidity levels rise to 80% for only one hour each day.
White-footed mice, a known apex host for Lyme disease also thrive under the canopy of Japanese barberry. The combination of mice and a tick population this is active almost all day long appears to be a potent mix that is leading to a public health epidemic in many states.
Why You Should Care
At this point, you may be thinking so what? I don’t have Japanese barberry in my garden and I don’t live near or spend time in a forested area with lots of Japanese barberry so how does this affect me.
In addition to creating the ideal environment for ticks, stands of Japanese barberry also tend to increase the levels of nitrogen in the soil. At the same time, the number of earthworms in the nearby soil almost doubles.
In our gardens, earthworms are welcome visitors. But in Japanese barberry infested forests, they are devouring the leaf litter which should act as a protective covering for the soil. Less leaf litter means loose soil, more erosion, less tree regeneration and less wildflowers.
Nitrification and low levels of leaf litter also add to storm water run off which affects the quality of water in our reservoirs. If you drink water, you should care about Japanese barberry.
Implications to Biodiversity
Biodiversity can be defined as the sum of life and its processes including the variety of living plants, animals and other organisms, and the ecosystems in which they occur. In spite of its small size, Connecticut has a large diversity of plant and animal life, and it is our reponsablity in maintaining this diversity and the important habitats that support it. According to Connecticuts Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CWCS) dated October 1, 2005, Connecticut supports thousands of animal wildlife species, mostly invertebrates. Add to these an estimated 2,600 species of vascular plants and the biodiversity of such a small state is remarkable. This diversity is a reflection of the states varied landscapes ranging from the coastal beaches and dunes bordering Long Island Sound to the summits along the Taconic range in the northwestern corner of the state. While the considerations herein are interrelated to the other fact sheets, this fact sheet focuses on how critical biodiversity and abundant habitat are to adaptation in a changing climate.
Habitats and species are always changing across time and landscapes. However, as a result of climate change, a ripple effect from a confluence of stressors may dramatically unfold in the regions habitats and within the variety of life these habitats support. Invasive species, non- native or exotic plants and animals have the potential to significantly impact New England‟s native and most delicate flora and fauna as the climate is altered. Fragmentation of habitat, changes in biological timing known as phenology, and other disruptions to the food web are all threats to biodiversity. Climate change is expected to increase the rate of extirpations of rare and endangered species by altering their habitat. Twin flower, a northern wildflower, will likely be extirpated from Connecticut as temperatures warm.
Since the end of the last glaciations 15,000 years ago, Connecticut has experienced dramatic climate and vegetation changes, with a northward progression of open woodlands of spruce and pine to the oak forests that dominate the landscape today. This occurred in a landscape unaltered by man's presence. Given the predictions of a more rapid period of warming, there is no doubt that Connecticut will look very different to future generations. The challenge that Connecticut is facing today is to decide where rapid climate change will have undesirable environmental consequences and how to preserve and maintain our critical habitats to accommodate the inevitable change. The future of Connecticuts natural resources and biodiversity are tied to environmental planning and responsible growth.
This is just the tip of the iceburg, contact one of our experienced staff members for more information...
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