Thirsty tree hits watering hole

The tamarisk has been bad news for habitats wherever it has appeared in the U.S., hording water and forcing native species to flee. Now the ravenous tree native to Eurasia and Africa has shown up in at least one California salt marsh, where scientists are plotting to stop the invader in its tracks.

Researchers want to establish how the tamarisk -- a 10- to 20-foot wispy tree with pinkish flowers -- took root in a Tijuana River reserve near Imperial Beach, home to rare species such as the clapper rail and Belding’s savannah sparrow. Tamarisk, or salt cedar, could attract those birds’ predators, plus alter the marsh’s shading and water flow.

The tree’s long tap roots siphon off moisture from competitors. “It’s notorious for getting in and sucking the water table dry,” says researcher Jeff Crooks.

Over the next two years, the team plans to study the tamarisk’s impact on the habitat before elminating it.

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Ashley Powers