[Bay Today] Leaves of three, let it be. Many of us were taught this rhyme as children to keep us on the lookout for the dreaded poison ivy plant. If you think you’re seeing more of it these days, it’s probably not your imagination. It’s also likely to be larger than you’ve seen it in the past and will cause a more potent rash.Several Manitoulin Islanders have shared their recent experiences, saying they have reacted badly this year but have never experienced the painful, itchy rash previously. Brittany from Manitowaning had to bandage most of her leg. Bill P. said the usual patches near his property had spread, and the plants were looking very healthy.
A six-year study completed by Duke University researchers found that elevated levels of carbon dioxide not only increased the growth of poison ivy but those high carbon dioxide receiving plants produced a more potent form of urushiol. That’s the oil that causes the skin inflammation, Rhus-dermatitis, in 50 to 80 per cent of humans when they come into contact with the plant (only humans and apes react to urushiol). Urushiol is poison ivy’s defense mechanism.
Researchers pumped carbon dioxide into an intact forest ecosystem; under the elevated carbon dioxide conditions, poison ivy showed increases in photosynthesis, water use efficiency, growth and biomass. They found that at carbon dioxide levels expected by the year 2050, poison ivy in the forest grew at a 70 per cent higher annual rate than at the time of the study. That 70 per cent will rise if we keep polluting the atmosphere with greenhouse gas emissions by burning fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide is considered one of the leading causes of global warming.
| Growing faster and sucking up excess carbon dioxide — sounds good to me! Get a prescription of Prednisone to treat the allergic reaction, perhaps also a cortisone shot if it’s really bad. Poison ivy plants can be killed by spraying with bleach or Round Up, then cut down the vines and bag carefully for disposal. Do not add to your mulch pile, as the oil is still irritating after several years, and absolutely do not burn the stuff — the oils irritate lungs as easily as skin. |
