The Swiss canton of Valais is under threat from an invasive species of cactus due to the intensifying global warming. The species of cactus called Opuntia, commonly called prickly pears, is a threat to the region’s natural reserves and biodiversity.
The Alpine Cactus Invasion
The people of the Swiss canton of Valais are used to seeing snow-clad mountainsides in the winter and ones filled with edelweiss flowers in the summer. However, with the intensifying global warming, the slopes are being strangely colonized by an invasive species – cacti, commonly found in hot and dry regions. Genetic Evolution in Action: Forest Lizards Adapt to City Life.
According to the authorities, species of cactus, which belong to the genus Opuntia, have been proliferating in various parts of Valais and are a threat to the region’s natural reserves and biodiversity. The municipality of Fully in the Rhone valley stated that “a lover of dry and hot climates, this invasive and non-native plant is not welcome in the perimeter of prairies and dry pastures of national importance.”
The Growth of Opuntia Opuntia species and similar kinds of cacti have grown on hills around Sion, the capital of Valais, where it is estimated that Opuntia plants now make up 23-30% of the low vegetation cover. Their growth has also been reported in neighboring Alpine regions, including Grisons and Ticino in Switzerland, and Italy’s Aosta valley and Valtellina.
Biologist Yann Triponez from the nature protection service of the canton of Valais stated that “in some parts of Valais, we estimate that the cacti can occupy one-third of the available surface.” He explained that Opuntia has been growing in Valais since at least the late 18th century, when it traveled from North America.
Ideal Environmental Conditions for Growth
The authorities believe that the warmer climate in the Alps, longer vegetation periods, and declining snow cover have created ideal environmental conditions for the cacti to grow. Peter Oliver Baumgartner, a retired geology professor, stated that “these species can bear -10C or -15C without any problem, but they want to be in a dry place and don’t like snow cover.”
In conclusion, the Swiss canton of Valais is under threat from an invasive species of cactus due to the intensifying global warming. The authorities are working to uproot these cacti to protect the region’s natural reserves and biodiversity.