Kudzu Plants

The reason why Kudzu is harmful to the South is that it harms or kills off plants by covering them in a thick layer of leaves. This is possible

Coral reefs are about 6% of the Great Barrier Reef. However the warmer the air and the water temperature is the more corals it kill. This is a major concern because of the damages it can cause other creatures using corals as a home and protection from predators. Many sea creatures could become extinct if there are no coral reefs.

A species that is introduced to an ecosystem by humans can harm ecosystems in many ways. Animals that are introduced into a new area, could hunt a main food source for some animals, causing that population to decrease. Plants could be poisonous, or need to feed off of other plants. Species introduced into an ecosystem by humans through off the natural balance of the wildlife.

Coral reefs are the most biodiverse ecosystem on the planet. There are more than 25,000 known species of organisms and countless others that have yet to be identified (Helvarg, 2000). Reefs thrive on the shallow edge of tropical seas, most often on the eastern edge of continents along warm water currents that brush the coasts. Reefs cannot live in cold waters and are limited by ocean depth and available sunlight. Coral is the foundation of the reef community, providing a three-dimensional structure where thousands of species of vertebrates and invertebrates live and feed. Some species of coral are hard, while others soft. Some are branched, yet others are compact and rounded. Coral is made up of large

First, I am going to talk about the importance of coral reefs. Coral reefs are some of the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth. They are home to 4,000 species of fish, 800 species of hard coral, and hundreds of other species. Scientists believe that there are another 1 to 8 million unidentified species (NOAA). According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, new drugs are being developed from

Issue: The environmental issue that I have chosen is the impact that invasive species have on the environment. The impact that invasive species have on the environment is vast, yet little is done about it. This issue is extremely important and will impact the world for generations to come. In this paper, I hope to learn about the effect they have on environment and what we can do about it.

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,

Eventually this news spread and in the 1970’s the government declared Kudzu a weed, or a wild plant growing where it is not wanted and in competition with cultivated plants. (3) Then in 1998 Kudzu was declared a noxious weed or a plant considered harmful to both animals and the environment. (4) Kudzu now infest 31 states. This vine now covers 7 million acres in the United States. The cost of the damage caused by this plant has surpassed the 100 million dollar mark and continues to grow. Because of this, Kudzu is now banned in four states. Getting rid of Kudzu is a difficult task but not impossible. Over the years we have also discovered there are many alternatives Kudzu can be used for. For instance the blossoms are used in teas, the leaves can be eaten similar to turnip greens, food for livestock, and is even being used as an herbal supplement for recovering alcoholics. While we search and find many other uses for Kudzu, the problem of its quick growth and abundance in the US remains. Scientist continue to look for solutions to this problem. But, has nature already provided the solution man needs? If so how can we take advantage of such a

Second, the reading states that park wildlife was affected as well. In contrast, the professor in the lecture averts that the small plants that grow create ideal

We continue to have to keep up with the removal of these harmful plants, as we do not want to harm the other wildlife in our yard. Recently we found out about the third invasive plant that we were supporting: the Asian Elm. We had a large Asian elm on the border of our lot, separating our house from that of the neighbors. We realized that we would have to cut it down. Now that we lack that large tree, the side of our yard is more open than it was before. We have lost privacy from the neighbor's house, but we know that cutting down the Asian elm was the best thing for our ecosystem.

Did you know a colossal plant called a kudzu is taking over the world little by little? A kudzu is an aggressive vine, capable of growing up to 26 centimeters in a day, that’s half of a foot! This species is very dangerous in many different ways. That includes its capability to take over all plants. It can also spread as fast as lightning. Furthermore, this plant is extremely dangerous.

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

A coral reef is a ridge formed in shallow ocean water by accumulated calcium-containing exoskeletons of coral animals, certain red algae, and mollusks. Coral reefs are tropical, forming only where surface waters are never cooler than 20° C (68° F).

Introduced species can be seen as a threat to the native species for it can affect wildlife and plants in a certain habitat. However, not all introduced species are a problem. In fact, some may be useful such as plants that serve for food. Most of these introduced plants were either purposely or accidentally brought over by people. The reason that some of these introduced plants become so overwhelming for native plants is still not clear. Introduced plants normally do well in the habitats that are similar to the habitats they originated from and have characteristics that allow them to dominate with the native plants. It is still unclear why some of the introduced plants have an overwhelming impact on the native plants. An example of this would be an introduced plant that flowers more frequently and produces more seeds. For a plant to do this, it would be able to gain a stronger advantage over the native plants because it could reproduce faster and take over an area faster which

      Coral reefs are continuously being both built up and decomposed, so different parts of a reef are in varying stages of succession (Richmond, 1993). Coral reefs are very fragile, because reef-building organisms cannot thrive if the surrounding water changes significantly. Coral reefs require very specific conditions in order to grow: a solid structure for the base; warm and consistent water temperatures (averaging between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius); stable salinity; moderate wave action; and clear water that is low in nutrients and plankton. The water on a healthy coral reef is clear because there are very few nutrients, so plankton that would cloud the water are few. In general corals grow slowly, but they are extremely efficient at living and reproducing in these conditions (American Zoologist, pg 524-536).