Rising food prices and the growing realization that corn ethanol is not a sustainable solution for fuel has many people looking towards the next generation of biofuels made from the cellulose of non-food plants.
However, in the rush to develop these sources, some concerned researchers say we are overlooking a threat posed by feedstock plants, some of which are invasive species. The very qualities which make attractive feedstocks–hardiness and the ability to thrive on non-arable lands–also define invasive weeds.
Scientists from the Global Invasive Species Program worry that, like kudzu or privet in the Southeast U.S., some cellulosic feedstock crops could grow out of control, endangering sensitive ecosystems.
Of particular concern is the giant reed, which has been used with success as a biomass crop in Europe and is being considered for use in Florida, where scientists worry the plant could be introduced into the Everglades, causing disastrous results.
Read the full New York Times coverage.
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