Ecologists have long known of buckthorn’s ability to push out native plants, but two new studies from Chicago scientists suggest the woody shrub also changes the distribution of large mammals like coyotes, and causes spinal defects in unborn frogs.
"We already knew that the buckthorn was outcompeting other plant species," said Seth Magle, director of the Lincoln Park Zoo’s Urban Wildlife Institute and author of one study currently in publication. "But no one had looked at the mammal community to see if they’re affected.
