Current research on the environmental impact of Chenopodium glaucum in the Great Lakes is inadequate to support proper assessment.
Realized:
Chenopodium glaucum is capable of naturally hybridizing with C. rubrum, which is native to Ontario, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota (USDA NRCS 2012, Wisskirchen 2006).
Potential:
Chenopodium glaucum could pose a competitive threat to other Chenopodium spp. that extend into the Great Lakes for at least a part of their native range. These species include (but are not limited to): C. album, C. berlandieri, C. capitatum, C. foggii, C. humile, C. leptophyllum, C. overi, C. pallescens, C. pratericola, C. rubrum, C. salinum, C. simplex, C. standleyanum, and C. subglabrum (USDA NRCS 2012).
There is little or no evidence to support that Chenopodium glaucum has significant socio-economic impacts in the Great Lakes.
Realized:
Plants, such as C. glaucum, that contain saponins have been blamed for non-fatal poisonings in livestock, including poultry and swine. However, recent research suggests that saponins might be beneficial to other species with rumen digestion systems (Cornell University 2009).
Potential:
This species is described as a widespread weed in Russia, invading crop fields and vegetable gardens (Larina 2008).
There is little or no evidence to support that Chenopodium glaucum has significant beneficial effects in the Great Lakes.
Potential:
Chenopodium glaucum has the potential to enhance soil quality by improving soil texture, reducing soil salinity, and increasing soil organic matter (Duan et al. 2004). It is also able to take up mercury from contaminated soils. Application of thiosulphate greatly increases the solubility of mercury and increases phytoextraction by C. glaucum (Wang et al. 2011).
Chenopodium glaucum is reported to have some value as forage due to high protein content in its leaves; however, over fertilization and insufficient water can create high, potentially toxic, nitrate concentrations (Brotherson et al. 1980, Duan et al. 2004).