Invasive Plants Are Threatening Rome's Ancient Monuments

The Coliseum and the Roman Forum aren't likely to come crashing down anytime soon. But researchers have found that invasive species still pose a serious threat to many of the city's historic sites.

By Sean Mowbray
Feb 8, 2022 3:00 PMMar 22, 2022 2:56 PM
Aurelian Walls
Researchers found that the roots of an invasive plant caused damage to Rome’s third-century Aurelian Walls. (Viacheslav Lopatin/Shutterstock)

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

Rome has been invaded a fair few times in its long history. (The Gauls, Vandals and Normans, to name a few, led some of the most iconic raids on the Eternal City.) Today, another, more subtle type of invasion is under way — led by invasive species that are posing a threat to some of the city’s historic sites.  

A study published last year in Biological Invasions tracked the growth of invasive plants in 26 of Rome's historic sites. The authors compared plant coverage in the 1950s with follow-up studies in 1990, 1995, 2005, and 2019. They found that over time, invasive species have been slowly muscling out the city's native plant life. Beyond that, the study authors also warned that invasive plants are an increasing challenge for the conservation of Rome’s historic sites. “This increase undoubtedly constitutes an alarming threat to the conservation of monuments and possibly even to the conservation of the city’s biodiversity,” the authors’ state. 

0 free articles left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

0 free articlesSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

Stay Curious

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and unlock one more article for free.

 

View our Privacy Policy


Want more?
Keep reading for as low as $1.99!


Log In or Register

Already a subscriber?
Find my Subscription

More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Shop Now
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2023 Kalmbach Media Co.