Invasive Species

With the environment, as one of the most commonly discussed topics today, invasive species are often included in these discussions. However, many seem to participate in these conversations with limited background on the topic. It seems that non-native species are unfairly given the title of ‘invasive’ for a variety of reasons which I plan to explore. As a starting point, it is important to understand the various titles that are allocated to non-native species that have been introduced into a new ecosystem. Under the umbrella of non-native species, there are multiple classifications given to wildlife found in a region different from where the species originates. The broadest of these classifications is non-native or exotic. Non-native is very much a cut and dried description; the species is found in an area that it is not native to. Beyond non-native is established exotic. A species can be distinguished as established exotic if it is first considered a non-native species, then can establish a breeding population. In short, this means that the species must not only be new to an environment, but can then survive and succeed as a species in that environment. Last, there is invasive. To be considered an invasive species, the species must fit three criteria: one, the species is not native to the environment it is found in. Two, the species has been able to reproduce and has created a viable breeding population in the new environment. And finally, the species has begun to cause

One environmental issue that the great lakes watershed has been exposed to is invasive species. An invasive species is any organism that is foreign to an ecosystem and causes harm (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2016). In ordered to be classified as foreign they do not have to be from a different country but they just must be a non-native to an established ecosystem. Some of the species travel at their own will but they primarily spread through human activities unintentionally. As we import and export goods, or travel, some uninvited species may ride along and travel to new places. Organisms can be stowed away in ships or products like wood. Some ornamental plants may

The world is under attack; by aliens from our own planet. These aliens are known as invasive species. Government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have identified invasive species as living organisms that are not native to an ecosystem and their introduction can cause harm to the environment, infrastructure, and people. When these creatures are in their natural ecosystem they can be held in check by predators and other organisms that have evolved to deal with them. Without these opponents invasive species can and will cause economic and biological damage to the area they are introduced to. Invasive species can affect anyone and anything and they must

Significance: The question of whether or not invasive species impact the environment is an important one. The answer affects everyone. In today’s world, we take the outdoors for granted. People don’t realize how much it does for us. It provides economical resources, areas to relax, and oxygen for us to breathe. Without these simple things our lives would change drastically. Life as we

The major negative effect of invasive plants is that they replace the native plants. Other negative effects of invasive plants are reducing native wildlife habitat, reducing forest health and productivity, altering the ecosystem, and degrading recreation areas. These plants should be removed immediately because they grow and reproduce rapidly, meaning, that they grow a lot faster than the native plants and more in abundance. They also affect the native plants by competing aggressively on resources. To resolve the problem invective plants is by removing them and adding more native plants. Also, another way to stop invective plants is by not planting them in new

Biodiversity boots ecosystem productivity where every little species plays an important role in maintaining a healthy community. Maintaining a viable habitat requires lots of efforts, determination and frequency. Invasive plants are a major threat to our natural environment. These invasions change the natural diversity and balance of ecological communities. They threaten the survival of many plants and animals. They are excellent at surviving and reproducing which out-compete the native plants. Understanding these huge consequences let us understand why volunteer activities like this are so helpful and needed. They play a huge part in contributing to our environment in many positive ways. Removing these invasive plants are helping a lot in restoring the habitat and giving native plants greater chance for survival. As time went by, these efforts will slowly help cleaning our atmosphere, providing our environment with fresh air and improve health effects in human (Sagoff,

An invasive species is a non-native species whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic harm, environmental harm, or harm to human health. The term "invasive" is used for the most harmful aggressive plants & animal. These species grow and reproduce rapidly, causing major harm to the biomes in which they are introduced too. If most invasive species are left uncontrolled in certain situations they can destroy the ecosystem they’re in leaving it useless for native species. The longer we ignore the dilemma the harder, more expensive the battle for the biomes will become. Most invasive species can terrorize your ability to enjoy hunting, fishing, boating or other outdoor recreational activities. “The United States suffers from $1.1-120 billion per year in economic losses due to exotic, invasive species.” (Invasive)

Whitetail deer have come to be known as a keystone species, species known for affecting other organisms in an ecosystem. Deer are known as a keystone species in forest habitats such as in the Eastern United States because they are capable of destroying potential forest habitat of other organisms (McShea and Rappole, 1992). For example, deer have a negative impact on forest ecosystems by trampling and over browsing over vegetation, without creating any habitat for other native species. Throughout the eastern United States, the abundance of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has increased dramatically over the last century (Taggart and Long, 2015). Population increases could be due to increased habitat fragmentation from land development, reduced predators and/or hunting pressure. Individual deer ranges varied during seasonal times, deer movements are usually greatest during the peak breeding months from late fall through winter (Williams et. al, 2012). Regardless of the cause, high deer densities can have significant effects on plant communities such as plant decay and/or even death. Deer consume a large amounts of plant biomass (leaves, buds, flowers and fruits) and directly reduce the growth, reproduction, and survival of herbaceous and woody plant species (Shen et. al, 2016). The impacts of white-tailed deer on forests along the Eastern United

Figure 1. shows the average leaf mass decomposition rate for invasive species leaves and native species leaves Results Explanation – In the experiment, we found that the invasive species leaves have a isopods faster decomposition rate than the native species leaves. The treatment used in the experiment differentiated only where the 1 gram (each) of the two different types of leaves were used. At the end of the experiment, the leaves had little to no moisture left to them and the 2 isopods were dead. Discussion – 1)

An invasive species is a plant, fungus, or animal species that is not native to a specific location and one point should be noticed is that invasive species does not have to come from another country. For example, lake trout are native to the Great Lakes, but are considered to be an invasive species in Yellowstone Lake because they compete with native cutthroat trout for habitat. Although there are some invasive species arrive with spread and establish populations, like the native butterflies feed on non-native plants in California, the alien trees help restore abandoned pastures to a condition suitable for native plants in Puerto Rico and even the much-maligned zebra mussel helps filter toxins from great lakes, most policymakers regard invasive

Until a stable balance is reached, healthy and balanced ecosystem keep this balance through several limiting factors, which can restrict and regulate the size or range of species such as natural climate, geography, presence or absence of predators. When, however, these invasive species are accidentally or intentionally transplanted into out waters. They can upset the ecological balance. They lack disease and predator controls, so these non-native species can rapidly reproduce and spread at an amazing and faster pace than native species. The consequence is that these invasive species compete with native species for food and habitat. These organisms harmful not because of what they are, but where they happen to be. Most of the world’s ecosystem are the result of coevolution by numerous different organisms in the worlds, adapting to their environment and each other. In other words, natural ecosystems become totally disrupt and out of balance. if the new species and habitat’s limiting factors fail to restrict the rapid

Invasive species got their name for a reason, and that’s because they’re invasive. Which basically means: They’re spreading everywhere even though, no one wants them to. Now let’s look at invasive plants. They’re about 1,300 non-native species inhabiting California (ipm.UCdavis.edu). And some have the potential to become a very harmful invasive species. They can cause many things: 1) Changing the soil fertility in an ecosystem, 2) Promoting a shorter interval (or in some cases longer) fire frequency that is not conducive to the survival of native species, 3) Creating a saline environment as roots absorb salts from deep in the soil and redistribute them from the foliage to the soil surface (ipm.UCdavis.edu). As you can see, non-native plants could really damage a new ecosystem. Especially when invasive plants thrive in said ecosystem, which could limit space and water for the native plants. And based on my research, invasive plants are as problematic as invasive

An example of a harmful invasive species is the Asian Long-Horned Beetle. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, an Asian Long-Horned Beetle destroys “millions of acres of America's treasured hardwoods, including national forests and backyard trees.” When the trees are killed, the environment is damaged. According to the Center for Invasive Species Research, “if this pest enters a forest ecosystem, the economic impact could be far greater than eradication and containment costs and could adversely impact export markets for various hardwood products such as veneers.” The insect negatively influences the economy, for it demolishes valued trees that are used to create certain products that need forest resources in order to be created.

Influence on ecosystems range from human causes like the bulldozing of a forest to natural causes like a fire or a flood.  In recent times, the introduction and spread of invasive species has transformed native communities rapidly and, in some cases, created irreversible damages.  In the Earth’s history, changes have often occurred in the ecosystems.  For example, glaciers and the retreat of glaciers cause wide-spread changes.  However, although change is a constant in ecosystems, animals and habitats often cannot adapt to the rapid alterations of non-natural stresses.  Harm to the environment from the introduction of invasive species occurs through changes in the habitat and declines in the native species.  Invasive species

The biodiversity effects of non-native invasive species have been described as “immense, insidious and usually irreversible” (Veitch and Clout, 2002). There is significant evidence proving that invasive species can cause severe economic, environmental and ecological damage (Mack et al., 2000). A lot of time and research has been devoted to dividing the world into regions with distinctive habitats and species. Numerous pathways, mostly anthropogenic, are breaking down these realms and facilitating the ecological and biological invasion of non-native species.