Alpine plants have come under threat of extinction from the sudden expansion of a species of dwarf bamboo in mountainous regions of Japan.
Due to the effects of global warming, snow is melting faster and the soil is drying up in these regions, and the dwarf bamboo species Sasa kurilensis is now replacing perennial alpine plants at an alarming rate, experts say.
Some mountainous areas are part of national parks with limited road access, making the cutting down of the bamboo grass both a labor- and cost-intensive exercise, causing a headache for local governments and the Environment Ministry.