...An invasive species is a nonindigenous species whose introduction to an ecosystem will most likely cause human health, economic, and environmental harm. Invasive species enter environments through range extension (natural relocation of species) and human introduction. Non-native species that have harmful ecological effects are known as invasive species. Virtually all ecosystems are at risk when a non-native species is introduced. Invasive species are so threatening because they often alter the functions of the ecosystem negatively, over populate and dominate other indigenous species, and damage human activities, costing a lot of money. The Sika Deer (Cervus Nippon) is an example of invasive species in the U.S. Their summer coat is typically...
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...UK invasive species top facts * Invasive non-native species are thought to be one of the biggest threats to global biodiversity, second only to habitat loss. * There are almost 2,000 established non-native species in Great Britain. * Invasive non-native species cost Great Britain around £1.7 billion annually. * Invasive species have been introduced to the United Kingdom from every continent in the world apart from Antarctica. What is an invasive species? An invasive species is a species which has been introduced to an area outside its natural range and can cause a multitude of ecological, economic and public health problems within the new habitat as its population grows. Invasive species may belong to any taxonomic group, with mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, plants, invertebrates, fish and viruses all having invasive populations around the world. The extinctions of numerous species around the world can be attributed to the negative effects of invasive species. When a species is taken out of its natural range and placed into a new habitat it is removed from its natural predators and any pathogens which help to control its population. Without these, population growth may become out of control and the invader can rapidly colonise its new habitat. The characteristics which enable an invasive species to outcompete native species include fast growth, a short life cycle and the ability to tolerate a wide range of habitat types and environmental conditions. Successful...
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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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...Invasive Species are becoming an increasingly populous threat in the United States of America, and the United States government is not applying enough regulations and policies to control the import and spread of these species. To successfully stop the spread of these species and reduce the amount of new invasive species the government must act. The key to stopping the spread of these invasive is rapid response to the issue. The government must apply new policies, because without the government acting against these invasive species or regulating the flow of species the problem will just continue to increase (Beric, 2015). The problem with invasive species are they are just what their names imply, invasive. The threat level to the United States...
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...From figure 1, we can see that the flow of invasive alien species is between developed countries. A possible reason for this may be that developed countries tend to have more marine trade between other developed countries. This means that species around the world can be easily transported between countries, and thus leading to invasive species in many ecosystems. There are number of ways that species can be transported around the world, as these are marine species, one likely method they can be transportation through ships. Animals such as mussels are able to cling to the hulls of ships and thus they are easily transported to different areas within the world and away from their native habitat. Another possible way marine species can be transported around the world would be through ballast water from ships. Marine animals can also be introduced in to native ecosystems deliberately due to scientific reasons. A reason why invasive may be not shown in the figure between poorest countries might be due the fact that poorer countries have minimal marine trade links between countries thus restricting the movement of invasive species. There is significant damage that can occur from non-native species when they intrude ecosystems. This is because invasive alien species are well adapted to live in many habitats and therefore they can easily spread in to many ecosystems. As they are well adapted to live in habitats they are also able to reproduce in habitats that are not originally theirs...
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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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...Invasive Species Author’s Name Institutional affiliation Date Invasive species are non-native (plants or animals) to an ecosystem and their introduction is probable to cause human health, environmental, or economic damage in the ecosystem. Africanised bee (Apis hybrid), hybrid of European and African honeybees, is an invasive species in U.S.A. It invaded into Southwestern U.S northwards from Brazil (origin). The species can be curbed by cold temperatures (mild winter) which renders them inactive (Emerton, 2008). They (killer bees) attack violently and usually entail many stings, which, when accumulated, are fatal to people and animals. The thriving population of lionfish in Atlantic Ocean affects us by reducing the resources available for commercial fishing industry. Lionfish feed on small crustaceans, coral reefs, and young fish (inclusive of the young of vital commercial fish). Lionfish’s venomous spines are very painful to the human body. Natural predators and groupers are set to remedy this hazard since the available potential predators cannot alleviate the lionfish available in the Ocean. Spearing and eating them is also remedying the situation. Zebra mussels are invasive species in the Great Lakes. They were inadvertently brought into Lake St. Clair, after which they spread all through the Great Lakes. They caused harsh problems at municipal water supplies, power plants, clogging intake screens, cooling systems, and pipes. They have also alleviated, nearly...
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...by April 24, 2018 Write only in the spaces provided. Topic 1 Write the name of the topic, along with a definition expressed in lay terms, and one expressed in scientific terms. Invasive Species [lay terms]: Species that are not native to an area and their introduction is likely to cause damage to the existing species/and or the habitat. Invasive Species [scientific terms]: Species that are alien to an ecosystem or species in which introduction to an ecosystem is likely to harm to native species or harm to the habitat (Invasive Species). Additionally,...
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...Virtual Ecology Lab: Invasive Species Worksheet Learning Goal: To learn how an invasive species can affect an ecosystem. Prerequisite Knowledge: Before beginning this lab, you should be familiar with these concepts: • the definition of invasive species • the types of interactions that occur between different species in an ecosystem Introduction: Ecosystems are webs of intricately balanced interactions. But what happens when a new species is introduced that uses a disproportionate share of the ecosystem’s resources? In this lab activity, you will determine how an invasive species, the Burmese python, affects other species in the Florida Everglades. Part A Normal conditions (no pythons) Enter the Ecology Lab Room by clicking the button. Then follow the Lab Procedure. [pic] |Lab Procedure | |Four species appear in the Species Tracking box in the lower left: cougar (or Florida panther), house mouse, Burmese python, | |and red-eared slider. Note that the python population is set to 0 because in this first simulation, they have not yet been | |introduced to the ecosystem. | |Click the green play button on the Controller, the device sitting on the floor of the Lab Room. | |Let the simulation run until 20 years have passed...
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...as one of the most deleterious invasive species ever to be introduced in the United States. It is a small beetle that was brought over from Asia through ash and ash by-products, and is extremely difficult to detect; efforts to eradicate it have been unsuccessful thus far. The main threat that the EAB poses is its negative effects on the native Ash Tree; it seems to attack all North American Ash species and kills them over a span of two to five years by “laying eggs in the conductive tissue of Ash Trees” (Jones). Over the past decade, tens of millions of ash trees across the Northeast and Midwest United States have died because of the introduction of the Emerald Ash Borer....
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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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...From the decorative, invasive kudzu vine that can grow up to a foot in just one day, to non-native pythons that are up to 20 feet in length and can weigh up to 250 pounds, invasive species can pose a serious threat. They not only affect local vegetation and other wildlife but can impact humans as well. KUDZU The kudzu vine might sound like a great plant but, the truth is that it is not. The kudzu vine has become a noxious weed. At first “The attractive kudzu vine, with its large leaves and sweet-smelling blooms, was greatly admired by the Americans.” Later, “it Turned kudzu from a pretty plant to a noxious weed.” It turned into a noxious weed because it was easily planted and not enough animals are there to eat...
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...The Asian Long Horned Beetle Introduction The sustained existence of our environment and ecosystem is quickly being diminished and depleted by invasive species. Invasive species can be thought of as non-native, or alien species to a specific ecosystem that immediately causes economic or environmental harm or even harm to human upon introduction (7). This is concerning not only to our well being, but also on a macro-spectrum, our environment. In time where global warming and industrialization are already challenging the preservation of the biodiversity of ecosystems, invasive species are becoming an increasing threat to environments and ecosystems. A species that has recently threatened and destructed many states including Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio, is known as the Asian Long-Horned Beetle. The Asian Long-Horned Beetle attacks many species of trees, including “poplars, maples, elms, and mulberries” and has a primary impact on street trees (5). Although the beetle is no bigger than an inch, it definitely packs a punch, causing massive and widespread destruction, which costs several hundreds of dollars to be spent per infestation. Background on the Asian Long-Horned Beetle The Asian Long-Horned Beetle is a native to Asia and was introduced to the United States in 1996 from “wood pallets and other wood packing material accompanying cargo shipments from Asia” (7). The Asian-Longhorned beetle is a tiny creature that is measured to be 1 to 1.5 inches in length and antennae...
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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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...I live in Connecticut and choose the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, an Aphid like insect. I have seen this invasive species along river banks where I fly fish. The invasion of an exotic forest pest into forest ecosystems is an important ecological, economic and evolutionary process that alters forests structure, composition, productivity and dynamics. The hemlock woolly adelgid is a major invasive species in Connecticut. The adelgid, which is speculated to have originated from Japan or China appeared in the Unites States in 1921 in Virginia. In 1985 this invasive species reached Connecticut. The insect has spread northward along the Connecticut River slowly encompassing towns to the east and west. Hemlock woolly adelgid populations usually are...
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