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<p><i>Reynoutria</i> spp. (the knotweed species complex) constitutes one of the most invasive plant taxa globally. <i>Reynoutria</i> spp. dispersal mechanisms facilitate rapid spread along watercourses. The 100-year Pacific Northwest flood of November 2021 impacted British Columbia’s Vedder-Chilliwack River and its biota through historically high rates of discharge, formation of new islands in the river, and removal of existing vegetation. According to our field surveys, a five-fold increase of <i>Reynoutria</i> patches was observed in 2022 along the Vedder-Chilliwack River as compared to 2019 with much of the increase observed in newly available disturbed areas created by the 2021 flood. <i>Reynoutria</i> patches in the river’s tributaries tended to be well-established whereas the age distribution in the mainstem was skewed towards younger age intervals, indicating tributaries may act as a major source of population growth if not controlled. <i>Reynoutria</i> patch numbers continued to expand, with 21% more patches in 2024 than in 2022 followed by a 97% increase in 2025 relative to 2024. The near doubling of the <i>Reynoutria</i> population in 2025 was likely connected to a significant rainfall event in October 2024. The number of patches in 2025 was nearly 12 times the number in 2019. Both the 2021 and 2024 flooding events are consistent with the global increase in flooding frequency and intensity due to climate change. Such flooding events can significantly contribute to the expansion of invasive plant populations on watercourses, highlighting the crucial need for targeted management in river systems to mitigate further spread across watersheds.</p>

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Implications of extreme flooding events for dispersal of Reynoutria spp. (knotweeds) in the wake of climate change

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月4日

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  • Sarah Demian,
  • Aidan Anderson,
  • Jaylene Braithwaite,
  • Lauren Mckenna,
  • David R. Clements

摘要

Reynoutria spp. (the knotweed species complex) constitutes one of the most invasive plant taxa globally. Reynoutria spp. dispersal mechanisms facilitate rapid spread along watercourses. The 100-year Pacific Northwest flood of November 2021 impacted British Columbia’s Vedder-Chilliwack River and its biota through historically high rates of discharge, formation of new islands in the river, and removal of existing vegetation. According to our field surveys, a five-fold increase of Reynoutria patches was observed in 2022 along the Vedder-Chilliwack River as compared to 2019 with much of the increase observed in newly available disturbed areas created by the 2021 flood. Reynoutria patches in the river’s tributaries tended to be well-established whereas the age distribution in the mainstem was skewed towards younger age intervals, indicating tributaries may act as a major source of population growth if not controlled. Reynoutria patch numbers continued to expand, with 21% more patches in 2024 than in 2022 followed by a 97% increase in 2025 relative to 2024. The near doubling of the Reynoutria population in 2025 was likely connected to a significant rainfall event in October 2024. The number of patches in 2025 was nearly 12 times the number in 2019. Both the 2021 and 2024 flooding events are consistent with the global increase in flooding frequency and intensity due to climate change. Such flooding events can significantly contribute to the expansion of invasive plant populations on watercourses, highlighting the crucial need for targeted management in river systems to mitigate further spread across watersheds.