Author: Jaymi Heimbuch
Publication Date: 1/27/10
Link: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/01/destructive-impact-of-invasive-species-measured-in-57-countries.php
Summary: There are various threats to biodiversity in our world and invasive species is just one, but is a major threat to biodiversity. In a study of 57 countries, studies show that each country had approximately 50 non-native species. These invasive species can be deadly for food chains and can lead to extinction for some animal populations. One example of an invasive species taking over is the rat which has grown in numbers and has made the Yellowhead, a bird native to New Zealand, suffer greatly. Here is a picture of the Yellowhead (http://www.elkeith.com/photography/image pages/yellowhead mohua 1.html). In the study made by the Global Invasive Species Programme, the number of introduced species per country ranged from as low as 9 (Equatorial Guinea) to as high as 222 (New Zealand). In all, there was a total of 542 invasive species documented and even worse, the report shows that the number of invasive species is severely underestimated. All in all, introduced species contribute to lowering biodiversity and bring destructive impact to both food chains and ecosystems.
Opinion/Reflection: I think it is bad that we have this high number of invasive species. We have only ourselves to blame as we brought these species with us in an effort to rid another species or for other reasons. If we have so many introduced species, certain animal populations will become extremely low and habitats will become changed completely. I usually eat chicken at least 4 times a week. If an invasive species of red foxes took over a habitat where chickens reside, I would not be eating chicken. The biodiversity of the countries in the study are very low because of the invasive species and we need to find a way to contain these species or move them elsewhere.
Questions:
1. What are some ways that we can contain invasive species or protect native species from invasive species?
2. Is it ever okay to bring an introduced species into your country, knowing the effect it may have?
3. What are some reasons why we bring in introduced species?
4. What would be the consequences of completely exterminating an introduced species?
5. How does introduced species affect both food chains and ecosystems?
I think that it is amazing that there are so many countries with invasive species. I think that foreign species can be good at times, but most of the time they are bad. It is bad for the eco-system, and the food web. I think that we need to learn how to control invasive species so that we won't suffer any more consequences.If we aren't careful with what species we transfer then we will lose many species, and we will be stuck with the invasive ones!
ReplyDeleteAnswer to Question:
3. We bring in introduced species to help fight off overpopulated species, to clean the habitat, and for food. I LOVE FOOD, and I do NOT want to lose food due to invasive species!!!!!!
More Questions: How can we stop this?
Are there any more studies similar to this one?
When did invasive species first start?
Extension:http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/
This website is the United State's National Invasive species website.
Opinion: I think this is bad. The invasive species could wipe out an entire native food chain, or the full ecosystem for the matter. If the ecosystem gets damaged, and the biodiversity drops, as our disaster lab proved, the area containing the old ecosystem will be more disaster prone. However, if the area is more disaster prone, then the disasters could wipe out all organisms as a whole and the area would have to start fresh with a set of new native species, eventually ending up with more introduced species and so forth. In conclusion, invasive species ends up being very cyclical with nature.
ReplyDeleteAnswers:
1) You could just not bring them to foreign land.
2) No, that action is prohibited by the Endangered Species Act.
3) To help native species. Say a type of cat in the Caribbean needed a plant from Australia; however that plant was not native to the Caribbean but was still brought over to help the cat. This is one reason why.
5) As I noted in the reflection, it can totally destroy it.
Questions:
1) In my example in my answer to question 3, would you risk the chance of the plant invading the Caribbean to help the cat? Or would you let the cat population crumble?
2) Can a Savanna animal like lions be an invasive species to a place like Northern Asia?
3) Shouldn’t it be harmless to bring at least an exotic male species to a foreign place, just one, since they can not give birth or even mate?
I would agree that a large number of invasive species is not good for biodiversity especially when it could have a negative impact on food chains and ecosystems. But I am not sure if Ben provided enough information about the numbers of invasive species as compared to all the countries in the world. I think that although looking at only 57 countries and saying that most of them had 50 non-native species doesn't really provide me with enough information. For example, how many of these non-native species are actually harmful to the a specific country's ecosystem? I know from traveling with my family to Mexico a few years ago, I learned from being at the airport that you can not bring certain things into the country or bring out of the country. I remember when my mom picked up a live peacock feature from the hotel that we stayed at. When we landed in Philadelphia, the uniformed officer asked my mom if she bought that or if it was off a live bird. When she said that she picked it from the ground, the officer told her that she had to give it up because for protection. My mom later explained to my sister and me that there are laws between countries to prevent the bringing in of certain objects that could spread into the country and cause harm. I guess there could have been an invasive species on or within the feather that the officer was worried about.
ReplyDeleteAnswers:
1)By not bring species to different habitats will protect native species.
2)It should never be ok to bring foreign species especially if you know that it has harmful affect. But even if you think it is good, that may not be the case and it could actually cause harm.
3) Probably because they help our current species and develope a better ecosystem. Some species many be needed to actually get rid of bad species.
4) If you completely destroy a species it may affect the food chain and then affect the ecosystem.
5)An introduced species may destroy another species in the food chain. If there is a break in the food chain, then it can affect different species in the food chain. As this domino affect destruction of species in the food chain continues, eventually it will destroy the ecosystem.
I definitely agree with Ben. I also eat chicken like 3 or 4 times a week and that would be bad. People are so stupid. We as a country need to control the kinds of species we bring into different habitat. I feel that as humans, we should probably do something about this. But, I feel we should only do it in the areas that affect us as humans, like the chicken for example.
ReplyDeleteAnswers to questions:
1. It's kind of hard to know. I guess the biggest thing we could do is to not bring species into other habitat at all.
2. It could be okay. It could increase the biodiversity in an area. But usually it's probably not okay.
3. I don't think anyone would do it on purpose. People probably bring in new species completely accidental.
Questions I ask:
1. Is anyone actually doing anything about this new invasive species?
2. How bad is the affect of the new species having on its ecosystem?
3. Will the species continue to take over or will they eventually die out?