...Invasive Species Invasive species ballast battle gets bigger Duluth News-Tribune (Duluth, MN), August 23, 2011 Researchers might have found a way to battle invasive species in the water. On August 23, 2011, researchers tested a new system to battle invasive species in the water of Indiana Harbor in Gary, Indiana. They would pump chemicals into the water and then neutralize it with a second chemical. However, this chemical would kill more than just the invasive species. They would release the chemicals into the water and it would kill the invasive species in the water. The chemical used to kill the invasive species in the water was called sodium hydroxide. Then carbon dioxide was the chemical released into the water...
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...that they didn’t belong there? You knew it looked rare and unique, but it didn’t belong in the habitat. What you saw are known as invasive species. An invasive species is a living creature that has negative effects on our economy, environment, or health, but is brought here by human assistance or by self-migration. They can also be called “introduced species, aliens, exotic, nonindigenous, and nonnative” according to Daniel Simberloff (3). As a contrast, he defined a native species along the lines of “a species is native to a region if it evolved there or if it evolved elsewhere, but arrived in the region of its own, usually thousands if not millions of years ago and without human assistance”...
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...Emerald Ash Borer An introduced (alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native) species is a species living outside its native habitat. This species have arrived by human activity, either deliberate or accidental. Some introduced species are damaging to the ecosystem they are introduced into, others have no negative effect and some can be beneficial. A recently introduced species to Wisconsin is the emerald ash borer. Unfortunately the emerald ash borer has negative effects, is invasive, was brought to Wisconsin and other states by accident, and is not welcome to the area. The emerald ash borer is a beetle that is bright, metallic green, about 1/2″ long with a flat back. It has purple abdominal segments under its wing covers. The emerald ash borer can fit on the head of a penny, and is hard to spot in the wild. The emerald ash borer is native to northern China and Korea. It can also be found in eastern Russia, Japan, and Mongolia. It is believed the emerald ash borer traveled to the United States by stowing away in some wood packing material. It can be found in the states of Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Unfortunately other states can be at risk. The beetle as also has been found in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. The emerald ash borer was first discovered in Southeast Michigan in 2002. It has then spread...
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...Ecosystem Structure, Function and Change SCI256 April 27, 20113 Ecosystem Structure, Function and Change Lake Tahoe is located in Sierra Nevada and is a freshwater lake over 1600 feet deep and one of the largest lakes in America. The lake is at the heart of a comprehensive ecosystem and home to a range of native species and contains a rich aquatic life. For example, the lake is home to redside dace, suckers and chub. “The ecosystem of the Lake Tahoe Basin has been dramatically altered since European settlers began to settle around the lake in the middle of the last century. Human disturbances, including introduced species, fire suppression, past overgrazing and logging, urbanization, roads, intensive recreational use, and air pollution, have affected not only the clarity of the lake, but the forest's ability to maintain the function, diversity, and resiliency of its components” (Tahoecam.com). Deforestation at the end of the 19th century, along with other issues such as drought, thinning and excessive rainfall, Lake Tahoe now has overcrowded and aged trees, yet with a 25% to 30% tree mortality which makes the danger of fires very severe (Tahoecam.com) Generally when it comes to the quality of the water in the lake, human activities of the last 130 years have done the most damage yet have acted as the biggest impetus to restore the water quality (Tahoecam.com). Furthermore the rate of algal growth has quadrupled in Lake Tahoe since 1959: “This increase in growth is due...
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...Holly Regan SCI/275 August 10, 2014 Stacy Murphy Balancing Ecosystems Glimmerville City Council, It has been brought to my attention that the city of Glimmerville is now faced with the same invasive grass carp population issues as the city of Sparksville. The problem with the grass carp is once they have been introduced they kill off the native species of our local waters. The purpose for the introduction of the grass carp is to remove the overabundance of indigenous aquatic plant life in particular habitats that have taken over due to fertilizer deposits making it to our community waterways thus, making survival hard for other inhabitants. In order to receive the optimal amount of benefits that the grass carp species has to offer, it must be released into a secure environment with no possibility of escape into other waterways. This species has found its way into many reservoirs, lakes, streams, and rivers in our community intentionally and/or by accident; either way it involves some degree of human error. Because the grass carp is native to Asia, it has no natural predators in North America. Another major factor which adds to this problem is their life expectancy is quite a long time and weigh up to 100 pounds, maybe more. The large-mouth bass and a few other species of fish will eat them if they are small enough. Some of the challenges faced in restoring the ecosystem in Sparksville were (a) the farmers grew the food for the community and the agricultural economy...
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...Threats to the Everglades There are three major threats to the Everglades: water control, introduced species and development (Florida Museum of Natural History, n.d.). In short, the biggest threat to the Everglades was humanity itself, which in his historical greed and shortsightedness sought to completely re-write the entire ecosystem to suit himself. The longest ranging problem threatening the everglades was the draining that was started in the early 1900's. Government sanction was given and the Army Corps of Engineers began work on a series of canals to drain the wetlands. There were 5 done: Miami, North New River, Hillsboro, West Palm Beach, and St. Lucie, each draining approximately 900 acres of wetlands (Historical Society of Palm Beach County, 2009). A) Simulated satellite image of original Everglades. B) Satellite image (circa 1995) showing the historic Everglades boundary, water conservation areas (WCAs), the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), and other landmarks (Harvey, Loftus, & Rehage, 2010, para. 1-2). As can be seen in the photos the majority of what was originally a specialized and ecologically diverse area has been repurposed: the wetlands drained the area industrialized. This has led to an enormous loss of habitat for marsh birds, reptiles and plants. Agricultural pollution has also decimated the habitat and according to Everglades Foundation (2006-2012), Extremely low levels of nutrients, such as phosphorus, are part of the reason...
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...(a)The species have been carried by marine trade on the hulls of ships and in bilge and ballast water and the movements tend to be between developed areas, reflecting trade patterns. Some areas are not involved; these tend to have less trade. There may be some specific knowledge of individual species from Figure 3 which should be credited, as should other species not shown on Figure 3 (rats). The major disruption is to food chains, as the alien species out-compete existing species reducing their numbers or even causing extinction. This can be directly through predation, or indirectly by occupying ecological niches. There is also the possibility that disease might be spread by new species, and in some cases damage to the physical make up of ecosystems (erosion). Biodiversity can be severely reduced, and in the worst cases ecosystems collapse. Level 2 5-7 Structure is satisfactory. Does explain the pattern with some clarity. Some understanding of impact on ecosystems and uses some geographical terminology, but incomplete; makes reference to map. Explanations are clear, but there are areas of less clarity. Lacks full range. There are some grammar, punctuation and spelling errors. (b) Indicative content The question requires both scales of threat to be covered, which could be accomplished using the same or different examples from within the named global ecosystem. In terms of global threats, the likely focus will be on climate change as an overarching threat to forests...
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...The introduction of foreign species to Hawaii has greatly affected the populations of the islands’ native species. In many cases, the introduction of foreign species has wiped out the entire population of certain species, rendering them extinct. This is especially devastating because many of these species are endemic, meaning they are found only in one particular location and nowhere else in the world. The majority of species living in Hawaii are the result of thousands of years of island biodiversity. A few birds of one species migrate from some distant island due to some rare occurrence of nature and eventually evolve into several new species, each perfectly adapted to the environment in which it has come to live. Unfortunately, each of these endemic species is especially susceptible to the effects of invasive species, which means the impact on Hawaii’s animal life has been tremendous. When goats were first introduced to Hawaii by Captain Cook in the late 1700s, they immediately began eating all the local plant life. Most of these plants were unused to being preyed upon until the introduction of foreign species into their habitat, and so suffered massive population loss from grazing animals. The goat population, on the other hand, grew rapidly, as it had no natural predators to keep it in check. The introduction of European pigs to Hawaii had similar effects on the native species, although, due to a scarcity of protein in natural Hawaiian forests, the European pig...
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...rich with life and full of native species well adapted to survival. However, since the early 1800s, many non-native plants, animals and microscopic organisms have been introduced into the Great Lakes, either accidentally or intentionally. Great Lakes native species are diverse and interesting and contribute to a healthy ecosystem. There are many unique and interesting birds, fish and plants found in Michigan and throughout the region that are integral to the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem. More than 140 species of birds depend on Michigan’s coastal habitat during their life cycle. Coastal wetlands, beaches, sand dunes and remote islands provide food and shelter for both resident and migratory species. Waterfowl such as Canvasback and Scaup are among the many species that use coastal wetlands as stopover sites to rest and refuel. Shorebirds including the endangered piping plover fly thousands of miles to nest on undisturbed beaches and remote Great Lakes islands. Because of their use of the coastal lands, there are thousands of great locations to see both resident and migratory bird species throughout Michigan and the Great Lakes region. State parks, national parks, wildlife refuges and sanctuaries throughout the state all provide good bird-watching opportunities. Some sites along Michigan’s Great Lakes shoreline are even considered birding “hotspots” due to the number of species that pass through each spring and fall. More than 160 species of freshwater fish inhabit the...
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...living and nonliving together in a specific area. For example, a coral reef is an ecosystem is contains substrate, water, microorganisms, fish, plants, and air. Balance within an ecosystem is important because without it will not maintain its stability. Every part of an ecosystem has a job to do, and when a species of an ecosystem disappears the balance is off kilter. If an invasive species is introduced to an ecosystem it can endanger the species that is native to the ecosystem and potentially destroy the ecosystem. An invasive species may pray on the native ones, and remove it from the ecosystem, which in turn can create other species to invade; decease to come and lastly destroy the soil and create erosion. However, the native species helps maintain the stability of the ecosystem, like plants, which are producers, provide food for other living organisms. The Grass Carp has changed the ecosystem of our waters. This fish removes needed oxygen from the water creating an in balance for the native species in the lake; with that being said succession of the lakes ecosystem here in Sparksville has changed since the introduction of the Grass Carp. The carp is an invasive species, and what should have been predicable in...
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...Introduction Ulmus americana, more commonly known as the American elm, is a large tree native to the prairie region. One of the most abundant species of prairie cities, it is a large contributor to our urban forests. This species along with several others within the genus Ulmus are threatened by Dutch elm disease. Dutch elm disease is a fungal disease caused by a pathogen known as Ophiostoma ulmi. In the prairie region Spores of this fungus are spread by the native elm bark beetle. The city of Lethbridge has managed to avoid the ravages of Dutch elm disease. However, this disease remains a constant threat. The intention of this paper is to analyse DED, the impacts it could have and possible solutions. Analysis will focus on six topics;...
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...The reading passage explains about how the zebra mussel population dominates other fresh water aquatic fishes and also how inexorable the mussel species. However, the lecturer refutes this and he uses other information and he says that the mussels can easily be controlled and the passage is exaggerating about the mussel. According to the professor the mussels were wouldn’t controlled because of lack of proper knowledge to deal with them. But now that’s not the case anymore. He explains that how zebra mussel population can be desisted across the European canal. The passage says that human transportation like ships are primary sources of invasion of mussels in the North American waters. As the ship uses Ballast water to balance the ship, the...
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...Various approaches are used to determine wildlife presence-absence data while other sampling methods help to quantify abundance. Presence-absence methods allow researchers to determine if a species is found in a particular area, in addition to whether the species is restricted to or dependent upon a distinct habitat or spatial arrangement. Examples of presence-absence methods include: analyzing tracks or imprints, tracking tubes, anecdotal reports, and consulting historical records or museum samples. Abundance estimates provide researchers with the number of individuals of a species within an area. Techniques to quantify abundance include: cameras, transects, point counts, road-kill surveys, numerous trapping methods, and several tracking devices. Presence-absence data collection tends to be considerably less expensive than abundance data collection; however, abundance data provides more information. Tracks refer to the imprints left behind by an animal after it walks over a substrate. While tracks do not provide a reliable estimate of density, they do, however, indicate that a species is present in a particular area. A drawback of utilizing tracks to determine presence-absence is that they are not preserved for long periods of time. Depending on the environment, tracks can be damaged or destroyed if say a climatic event like a...
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...There is something really important I have to tell you. Yesterday I watched a speech that is going to change all my future decisions and I am sure once you watch it yours as well. This speech is conducted by an animal liberation activist Gary Yourofsky in Georgia Institute of Technology. As of January 1, 2015 Gary Yourofsky has given 2,660 lectures to more than 60,000 people at 186 schools in 30 states and several Israeli cities/schools, including the U. of Alabama, U. of Florida and Georgia Tech. The latter has been translated into more than 30 languages for over 10 million YouTube hits. This speech is the most viewed speech in Israeli history. Lecturing is a softer approach for Yourofsky, who has been arrested numerous times for random acts of kindness and compassion, and banished by five countries from entering their borders. In 1997, Gary liberated more than 1,500 soon-to-be-murdered minks from the Eberts Fur Farm in Blenheim, Ontario. Several attorneys, led by Donald Perkins, Esq., tried to pass a resolution in Michigan in honor of Yourofsky's actions. "We recognize that throughout this nation's history, other individuals, acting from conscience have similarly violated certain laws and ordinances. In our own time, these same principles of nonviolent disobedience to unjust laws have been applied by such individuals as the Mahatma Mohandas K. Gandhi and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., both of whom were—as was Michigan's Gary Yourofsky—sentenced to jail for their actions...
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...American Bullfrog The aquatic invasive species I chose was the American bullfrog, also know as lithobates catesbeianus. The American bullfrog is native to Central and Eastern United States, but can also be found in Western United States. The bullfrog was introduced accidentally during the trout stockings and was also introduced in the aquarium trade and for sport and pest control in the early 1900s. Bullfrogs can live up to 10 years in the wild and up to 16 years in captivity. The american bullfrog is a very interesting aquatic species, it has plenty of different characteristics. The bullfrog can grow up to 8 inches in length and can weigh up to a pound and a half. They are found in freshwater ponds, lakes, and marshes all around the continental United States. The american bullfrog is normally green or grayish brown with brown spots all over the bodies, they also have very distinctive eardrums on the side of their heads. Bullfrogs are nocturnal amphibians; they ambush and eat their prey, they eat almost anything they can fit into their mouths....
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