02-04-2010, 11:24 AM
Mark, the strawberry guava has been multiplying at 7-12% per year since its' introduction... if you remember way back when your money or salary grew by that, you could double the number (population) every 5-7 years.... in the first few decades, this doubling is barely noticeable, by the first century, it starts being noticed, by the second century you have a choking invasion....
It was this slow, but steady increase that is now the problem... now, with the acreage in waiawi, many can see the impact of this doubling, the roots are literally growing on top of each other in thickly infested acreage.... and it is still doubling... every 5-7 years...
What was a handful of trees 200 years ago is over 50,000 acres of heavily populated acres, and it will continue to double.... both spreading in acreage and density, as it has seed carriers in birds & feral pig & no natural predator & it out competes the native trees..
It was this slow, but steady increase that is now the problem... now, with the acreage in waiawi, many can see the impact of this doubling, the roots are literally growing on top of each other in thickly infested acreage.... and it is still doubling... every 5-7 years...
What was a handful of trees 200 years ago is over 50,000 acres of heavily populated acres, and it will continue to double.... both spreading in acreage and density, as it has seed carriers in birds & feral pig & no natural predator & it out competes the native trees..