From the CO2Science archive: Did you know that the government of South Australia has a Buffel Grass Strategic Plan? It’s the sort of thing governments do, and if it’s anything like the strategic plans the government of Canada produces we fear for Buffel Grass’ future. Although it’s hard to tell if people want to encourage it or wipe it out. Cenchrus ciliaris (L.) is native to Africa and Asia where it is a hardy, drought-resistant forage for livestock. And it was apparently considered valuable enough to be introduced around the world. Wikipedia tells us “It is also sown in Queensland, Australia and elsewhere for grazing, hay and silage. It was introduced to the Sonoran Desert for erosion control and to feed livestock. In the Mexican part of the Sonoran Desert, it is still being planted and irrigated for livestock grazing.” Then in the very next sentence it says the dang stuff is considered an invasive species in, er, “Australia, the southwestern United States, Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, South America, and Macaronesia.” Whether it’s an honoured guest or unwanted pest, it has a cool name and will fare well with extra CO2. From 2007 to 2014 there were four experiments showing an additional 300 ppm CO2 boosts Buffel Grass growth on average by 99.5%, and in 2001 there were four experiments showing that an additional 600 ppm CO2 boosted growth on average by 78.8%. Which might seem contradictory, but the 600 ppm experiments also limited the available nitrogen.