General Impact
Peterson (1988) states that Cortaderia jubata is highly competitive with native plants once seedlings become established and is a substantial threat to the ecological quality of preserves, particularly in coastal and grassland sites. Its rapid growth and accumulation of aboveground and belowground biomass allow it to acquire light, moisture, and nutrients that would be used by other plants. It can be damaging even at low densities because of the amount of cover it can occupy. Particularly threatened habitats include coastal sand dunes and inland sand hills that contain a number of rare and endangered plant species. PPC (1998) cites that on roadsides, C. jubata can seriously hamper visibility, while its sharp leaves can cause serious cuts to humans. It is also a fire hazard because of the large amount of dry matter it produces, and it harbors vermin such as rats, mice, possums, and rabbits. Additionally, C. jubata seeds stick to fruit such as kiwifruit, seriously degrading fruit quality.
Location Specific Impacts:Australia 
Competition: Peterson (1988) states that it is highly competitive with native plants once seedlings become established and is a substantial threat to the ecological quality of preserves, particularly in coastal and grassland sites.
Modification of nutrient regime: Its rapid growth and accumulation of below-ground biomass allow it to acquire nutrients that would be used by other plants (Peterson, 1988). New Zealand
Competition: The pampas grass, Cortaderia jubata is a highly invasive weed that threatens native plant communities, causes problems in plantation forests, and is costly to control. (Landcare Research, 2000).
Pampas grass is also one of the worst weeds of pine plantations in New Zealand, reducing three-year stem volume of Pinus radiata by a greater amount than weeds such as gorse and broom (Richardson et al. 1996), and impeding silvicultural operations (Gadcil [sic] et al. 1984; Ray & Richardson 1993). Much of the fertiliser applied to pine plantations may be utilised by pampas grasses where these are abundant (Gadgil et al. 1992) cited in (Landcare Research, 2000)
Economic/Livelihoods: The pampas grass, Cortaderia jubata is a highly invasive weed that threatens native plant communities, causes problems in plantation forests, and is costly to control (Landcare Research, 2000).
The sticky seeds of Cortaderia jubata can downgrade the quality of horticultural produce like kiwifruit (PPC1998).
Interaction with other invasive species: The large tussocks of Cortaderia jubata> provide shelter for vermin like rats, mice and possums (PPC, 1998)
Modification of fire regime: The dead leaves of Cortaderia jubata create a fire hazard (PPC, 1998)
Modification of nutrient regime: Pampas grasses grow quickly, so they compete with other vegetation for light, water and nutrients, thus degrading natural communities (PPC, 1998) California (United States (USA))
Competition: Peterson (1988) states that it is highly competitive with native plants once seedlings become established and is a substantial threat to the ecological quality of preserves, particularly in coastal and grassland sites.
Economic/Livelihoods: The pampas grasses,Cortaderia jubata is a highly invasive weeds that threaten native plant communities, cause problems in plantation forests, and are costly to control (Landcare Research, 2000).
Modification of nutrient regime: Its rapid growth and accumulation of below-ground biomass allow it to acquire nutrients that would be used by other plants (Peterson, 1988). Hawaii (United States (USA))
Competition: Peterson (1988) states that it is highly competitive with native plants once seedlings become established and is a substantial threat to the ecological quality of preserves, particularly in coastal and grassland sites.
Modification of nutrient regime: Its rapid growth and accumulation of below-ground biomass allow it to acquire nutrients that would be used by other plants (Peterson, 1988).
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