...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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...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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...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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...When our class went to pull and treat non-native plants, I realized that these plant were indeed having an effect on the native plants. Invasive species are harmful to our natural resources because they disrupt natural communities and ecological processes. This causes harm to the natives in that ecosystem because they are suddenly competing with a new species for the same resources. The non-native plants can outcompete the native species for food and habitats and sometimes even cause their extinction. Even if the native species are not completely eliminated, the ecosystem often becomes a biodiversity. A biodiverse ecosystem is more susceptible to further disturbances. Another non-native plants are a disturbance is that they can be very easy to be spread. Human contact, animals and weather (wind) take part in the spread of the non-natives. Humans when hiking in places where they exist, could drag around seeds on their boots. Also when pulling non-natives we don’t treat them, which causes them to still grow and reproduce. The organisms in the ecosystems will benefit through gain of lost habitat, also gain in loss of native plants. Spotted knapweed reduces livestock and habitat, increases surface water runoff and soil sedimentation, and lowers plant biodiversity. Spotted knapweed produces an allelopathic compound that reduces germination of some grass species. Management options include hand removal of small infestations, the entire crown portion of the plant must be removed....
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...Thesis Statement Lake Huron is the third largest of the Great Lakes by volume containing 850 cubic miles of water and it measures 206 miles from east to west and 183 miles north to south. In addition, Lake Huron has 3,827 miles of coastline (Human Health and the Great Lakes n.d.). Lake Huron, much like most lakes, contains a large variety of fish and wildlife and there is always the chance of pollution occurring in lakes due to illegal dumping and waste disposal, discharge of pollutants from vessels on the lake, human waste sewage, and faulty infrastructure which can accidently cause pollution. However pollution may occur, it is harmful to not only the ecology and the fish and wildlife in the area but also to humans who reside near the lake. According to a University of Michigan (U of M) report, Pollution’s Effects on the Great Lakes Ecosystems, over 20% of the world’s fresh water supply is in the Great Lakes region (U of M, n.d.) and with the world water reserves diminishing, it is essential to protect the integrity of the water to the maximum extent possible. Major Causes of Pollution in Lake Huron While there are many factors which contribute to the pollution of Lake Huron, the main source sources of pollution which cause the most damage is direct dumping of hazardous and toxic materials in the lake such as industrial waste, discharges from ships on the lake and also raw human sewage which is dumped in the lake. According to the Lake Huron Center for Coastal Conservation...
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...Biology Biome: the largest division of the biosphere. Biosphere: the thin layer of air, land, and water on or near Earth’s surface in which all living things on Earth exists. Climatograph: A graph of climate data for a specific region. Ecosystem: a part of a biome in which abiotic components interact with biotic components. Biodiversity: the variety of all living species of plants, animals, and micro-organisms on Earth. Niche: The special role an organism plays in an ecosystem, including the way in which it contributes to and fits into environment. Structural adaptations: a physical feature of an organism’s body having a specific function that contributes to survival of the organism. Physiological: a physical and chemical event that occurs within the body of an organism that enables survival. Behavioral: what an organism does to survive in the unique conditions of its environment. Species: a group of closely related organisms. Population: all members of a particular species. Community: all the population of the different species. Bioremediation: the use of organisms (micro or plants), to break down chemical pollutants in water or soil to reverse/lessen environmental damage. Decomposition: breaking down of organic wastes and dead organisms. Biodegradation: action of living things such as bacteria to break down dead organic matter. Decomposer: change wastes and dead organisms into usable nutrients. Detrivores: consumers that obtain their energy by eating bodies...
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...Asterias amurensis: A mariculture pest in Australia. Introduction Globalization of the world economy has substantially increased the rate of biological invasions, as most harmful species arrive as hitchhikers on the vectors of international trade (2). To make it worst, the advances in world-wide shipping and transportation have accelerated the rate of biological invasions, through ocean-going vessel that regularly transit between continents, resulting in up to hundreds of thousands of gallons of plankton-laden ballast water introduced into new environment unintentionally each time (3). In another word, as international trade expands the rate of unintentional introduction of non-native species increases as well. Many of the deliberate introduced species often do not cause any problem as humans knowingly choose a suitable environment to fill an open ecological niche (3). However, on average, those unintentional introduced species often become pest by spreading widely or quickly, and cause harm to the environment, human health, other valued resources or the economy (2). As many of the accidental introduced species lack all or most their native, presumably coevolved, natural competitor or predator to control their growth proportion (3, 8). An example of the many accidental introduced pest species brought about by human activity in coastal zones worldwide which led to the disturbances of marine and estuarine ecosystem in Australia is Asterias amurensis, commonly known as Northern...
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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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...Natural Resources and Energy Paper A forest is a natural resource needed by the earth, humans, and species. There are three types of forests. The three types include “tropical, temperate, boreal forests” (The forest biome p. 1, 2006). Recently forests occupy about “one-third of Earth’s land area, and account for over two-thirds of the leaf area of land plants, and contain about 70% of carbon present in living things” (The forest biome p. 1, 2006). Forests produce vital oxygen and provide homes for people and wildlife. Forests play a critical role in mitigating climate change. A forest have several management practices for sustainability and conservation. There are several risks and benefits of extracting and using one type of nonrenewable and one type of renewable energy. The growth of human population has affected forest resources in several ways. The affected forests have caused harm to the population of wild species and have majorly impacted agriculture. Impacts associated with agriculture Between 2000 and 2010 about 13 million hectares of forests were lost per year to agriculture and other uses (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2013). Agroecosystems are very different from the ecosystems seen in nature. Unlike natural ecosystems, agroecosystems are large areas that have been planted with a single species or single strain or subspecies. This often makes them more susceptible to disease. Also, the agroecosystems are often planted in simple geometric...
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...Red imported fire ants (RIFA) are invasive nuisance insects that have spread throughout the southeastern United States since their initial arrival more than sixty five years ago. Red imported fire ants, or Solenopsis invicta Buren, is native to Mato Grasso, Brazil and other areas throughout central South America and was accidentally brought to Mobile, Alabama in the early 1940s. Although the method of introduction is not clear, the USDA states that it is possible that the species may have arrived in the United States on ships’ ballasts. Since their initial invasion in the 1940s, the species has spread throughout fourteen states. Red imported fire ants impose substantial negative impacts on people, animals, rural and urban environments culminating...
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...Sylvia Earle’s early observations upon Caribbean reefs describe a forgotten world. Caribbean coral reefs have suffered massive losses of corals since the early 1980s due to a wide range of human impacts including explosive human population growth, overfishing, coastal pollution, global warming, and invasive species. The consequences include widespread collapse of coral populations, increases in large seaweeds (macroalgae), outbreaks of coral bleaching and disease, and failure of corals to recover from natural disturbances such as hurricanes. Alarm bells were set off by the 2003 publication in the journal Science that live coral cover had been reduced from more than 50% in the 1970s to just 10% today. This dramatic decline was closely followed by widespread and severe coral bleaching in 2005, which was in turn followed by high coral mortality due to disease at many reef locations. Healthy corals are increasingly rare on the intensively studied reefs of the Florida reef tract, US Virgin Islands, and Jamaica. Moreover, two of the formerly most abundant species, the elkhorn coral Acropora palmata and staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis, have been added to the United States Endangered Species List. Concerns have mounted to the point that many NGOs have given up on Caribbean reefs and moved their attentions elsewhere. It was against this gloomy backdrop that this study was undertaken to assess more rigorously than before the extent to which coral reef ecosystems throughout the wider Caribbean...
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...Ozone Layer Depletion: Effects and Causes of Ozone Depletion Ozone is a colorless gas found in the upper atmosphere of the Earth and formed by the action of ultraviolet radiation on oxygen. Ozone forms a layer in the stratosphere, which protects life on Earth from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. Ads by Google Olay Total Effects 1 Bottle Fights 7 Signs of Ageing, Try Olay Total Effects Today! www.olay.in Today, one of the most discussed and serious environmental issues is the ozone layer depletion, the layer of gas that forms a protective covering in the Earth's upper atmosphere. Ozone is formed when oxygen molecules absorb ultraviolet photons and undergo a chemical reaction known as photo dissociation or photolysis, where a single molecule of oxygen breaks down to two oxygen atoms. The free oxygen atom (O), then combines with an oxygen molecule (O2) and forms a molecule of ozone (O3). The ozone molecules, in turn absorb ultraviolet rays between 310 to 200 nm wavelength and thereby prevent these harmful radiations from entering the Earth's atmosphere. In the process, ozone molecules split up into a molecule of oxygen and an oxygen atom. The oxygen atom (O) again combines with the oxygen molecule (O2) to regenerate an ozone (O3) molecule. Thus, the total amount of ozone is maintained by this continuous process of destruction and regeneration. Ozone layer depletion first captured the attention of the whole world in the later half of 1970 and since then, many discussions...
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...economic impacts, as well as negative ecological effects of the aquatic environment are increasing the scientific research done on toxic dinoflagellate species. Contaminated bivalves are causing paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and diarrhetic shellfish poisoning in humans (DSP); with the number of cases increasing steadily in the last 40 years. Toxins released by certain species of the phylum dinoflagellate are the cause of this spreading contamination. Algal bloom locations are dictated by water currents and synaptic weather patterns, and their movement makes it difficult to pinpoint the origin of these blooms. Measuring the level of toxins in shellfish is currently the best way to chart the growing density of these blooms, and to prove the masses of algae are of growing concern. In this review the negative impact dinoflagellate algal blooms are having on aquaculture, human health hazards, and reasons for the increasing frequencies/densities of blooms will be covered; additional information on the shortcomings of incomplete scientific data complied on algal blooms and why scientific research is now being sought after will be reviewed. BACKGROUND Few species of phytoplankton produce toxins, but dinoflagellates have species that release two different types of toxins. Dinoflagellates are forming large aggregations called algal blooms with increasing frequency and density. There are two toxins produced by dinoflagellate species: brevetoxins and neuortoxins. Brevetoxins...
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...Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with one another and with their non-living environment ii. An organism is any form of life. The cell is the basic unit of life in organisms. b. Population i. Members of a species interact in groups called populations. ii. Species of the same population live together in a particular place or habitat. c. Communities and Ecosystems i. A community consists of populations of different species living and interacting in an area ii. An ecosystem is a community interacting with its physical environment of matter and energy. II. The Earth’s life support systems a. The different spheres of life-parts of Earth that support life systems. i. The Earth is made up of interconnected spherical layers that contain air, water, soil, minerals, and life. i.i Atmosphere: thin envelope or membrane of air around the planet. Its inner layer is the troposphere; it extends only about 17 km above sea level. i.ii Stratosphere: subsequent layer; its lower portion contains ozone to filter out the sun’s harmful UV radiation. i.iii The hydrosphere consists of the Earth’s water . It is found as liquid water, ice, and water vapor in the atmosphere. i.iv The lithosphere is the Earth’s crust...
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...March 2, 2013 – The Everglades Flood Control and Restoration: A Century of Disaster OUTLINE ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………………………………………… Before drainage of the Everglades began over a century ago, the wetlands of southern Florida were an interconnected hydrological assortment of lavish freshwater lakes and streams, cypress swamps, secluded estuarine lagoons, freshwater sloughs, tree islands, wet prairies, and mangrove swamps spanning 3.6 million hectares. After a century of intrusion, the daunting task of understanding, fixing, maintaining, and regaining a sustainable, natural Everglades-type ecosystem in South Florida is monumental. The area south of Lake Okeechobee now has a human population of over four million people, with greedy agricultural and urban demands for more water and more space. Therefore, several uphill battles have ensued. The conceptual plans for restoring this ecosystem, currently on record, are all extremely expensive to implement. A more thorough definition of the environmental and societal objectives and measures of success are required. How the ecosystem will respond to the return of a more natural hydrological pattern is uncertain, but needs to be addressed as the expected and desired outcome through measures of performance. The critical level of deterioration of the Everglades has created a crisis-management atmosphere instead of a full spectrum response and future prevention methodology. The political and social aspects of the Everglades...
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