Railroad ecology

Railroad ecology is a term used to refer to the study of the ecological community growing along railroad tracks. Such ecosystems have been studied primarily in Europe.

Conditions

Railroad beds, like road beds, are designed to drain water away from the tracks, so there is usually a bed of rock and gravel resulting in fast drainage away from the tracks. At the same time, this drainage often accumulates in areas fairly near the tracks where drainage is poor, forming small artificial wetlands. These unnatural conditions combine to form different zones, some in which water is scarce, others in which water is abundant.

Maintenance

Railroad companies routinely clear-cut and/or spray with herbicide any vegetation that grows too close to the tracks. This favors vegetation that is able to respond favorably to clearcutting, and/or resist herbicides.

History

Historically, conditions along railroad beds were much different than they are today; coal engines used to blanket the area with soot, favoring species adapted to these conditions (some of which only occurred naturally in volcanic areas). Newer engines produced a less remarkable environment, but many of the same plants have remained and adapted to this new environment.

Invasive Species

Railroad tracks (like roads and highways) are often colonized by non-native invasive species. In north America, such species include trees such as Ailanthus altissima, Paulownia tomentosa, Siberian Elm, and Norway Maple, and invasive non-woody plants such as Japanese Knotweed and Phragmites. The railroad tracks provide corridors along which these species can spread and thrive, even when the surrounding areas might be less hospitable to them.

References

* C. Sargent, D. W. Shimwell (reviewer). "Britain's Railway Vegetation" "Journal of Applied Ecology", Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 599-600 (1985)

ee also

*ecotope