Black Mustard Research Paper

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Invasive Mustard plants have become a concern in Southern California by colonizing and invading disturbed areas in the Inland Empire, San Bernardino Mountains, San Gabriel Mountains, Mojave Desert and Colorado Desert. The two main mustard species that are invading Southern California are Black Mustard (Brassica nigra) and Sahara Mustard (Brassica tournefortii). Black Mustard is most commonly found in the Inland Empire and surrounding mountains, while Sahara Mustard is found at the lower elevations in the Colorado Desert and San Diego County. The mustard plants grow extremely fast as primary successors in a disturbed area. The plants secrete an allelopathic chemical that prevents the native plant seeds in the soil from germinating. The increase in mustard plants in mountainous areas has contributed to an increase in vegetation fires causing the normally chaparral type habitat …show more content…

Black Mustard (Brassica nigra) and Sahara Mustard (Brassica tournefortii) are the main two species that are invading Southern California. Both of these plants were brought to the United States via jump dispersal by early settlers. They now disperse through out the west using their adhesive seeds that stick to animal fur and vehicle tires. Mustard thrives in disturbed areas where fire or other disturbance has cleared an area of its native vegetation. The mustard is part of the primary succession after the disturbance has happened. The seeds from these plants can lie dormant in the soil for up to 40 years waiting for a disturbance to allow them to germinate. Many efforts are underway to control the invasive plant, but at least 64% of it needs to be extracted each year to make head way for its eradication. From this essay I have learned how large of a problem the mustard invasion really is. I have also realized that for progress to be made with this problem, more needs to be done then is being done

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