How Vanua Levu Residents Deal With Domination of Invasive “Kudzu” Vines

Vines are dominating and overwhelming Fiji's second-biggest island, Vanua Levu. Residents are struggling to pass through these strong and strangling vines have become. Nevertheless, while faced with this great invasion, residents are pressing through.

As noted by Futurism, this is a great display of nature's power and capacity. While various culprits contribute to this great domination, it is largely attributed to an invasive species introduced during World War II that proliferated due to climate change: the Kudzu vine.

Kudzu, the Choking Vine

Kudzu, a vine from the family "morning glory," is one of the dominant species that strangles and engulfs the canopies of trees across many miles.

According to the Nature Conservancy, the invasive vine creeps and terrorizes natively grown plants. It has been spreading throughout the southeastern portions of the US and has been reaching other territories, including Fiji's Vanua Levu.

The vine is a native plant from southeastern China and Japan. Throughout the 1930s up until the 1950s, it was promoted to control soil erosion and was abundantly sown in southern parts. However, the vine became a notorious killer plant that overpowers whatever crosses its path.

The growth of Kudzu is exponential and barely controllable. It grows through rhizomes, runners, and other vines rooting to form additional plants.

The Nature Conservancy notes that the plant can expand by one foot daily. Mature vines can reach up to 100 feet.

What Affects the Spread of Kudzu Vines?

There are certain factors that affect how invasive Kudzu vines grow to be, as noted by the New York Invasive Species database.

Two of these great contributors are climate and access to light. Both humidity and warmth play huge roles, as the vines colonize even more when temperatures are warmer and when humidity is higher. Moreover, these vines climb over other plants and sturdy vertical surfaces to access more light.

Aside from this, Futurism also notes that experts have predicted for a long time that climate change will increase the severity of storms. Ever since the 1980s, researchers have noted the rise in severity and incidences of storms that could not have been caused by nature alone. This, thus, suggests how climate change is a likely culprit.

In the case of Vanua Levu, individuals can see another imbalance brought about by climate change.

Residents of Vanua Levu Press On

Because of these overwhelming vines, locals find it hard to steer clear as they pass through various areas. It has also become harder to grow and nurture other plants.

Nevertheless, locals have been pressing on and have eventually found a way, as simple as it is, to use this vine practically. For one, according to Futurism, they discovered how this vine could be used as a string to bundle up the roots of the taro plant in the local market.

Check out more news and information on Environment and Climate in Science Times.