The Impact of Invasive Species on Ecosystems Essay

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

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

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)

It is no question that invasive species cause more damage than nourishment. They have caused harm on every continent on this planet and are a threat to their ecosystems. The key to successfully managing invasive species is to understand what they are, how they arrive here, and the damage they cause. That way we as a society can recognize the threat that they pose to our ecosystems and manage them. Step one in successfully managing invasive species is to understand what they are.

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

As humans began to travel and change the landscape of the lands, the pace of invasions has increased dramatically. The word “invasive species” has a lot of negative connotations. However, invasive plants are actually like native plants, not bad when they are in their native habitat, but it is just when they are in a favorable non-native environment that causes them to become invasive. One and half million of the estimated species ten million species are identified as an invasive species. It is impossible to predict what the consequences of bringing a new

Out of all the problems our environment faces like pollution and global warming, one of the most threatening problems is invasive species. An invasive species is an organism that is not native to an ecosystem and causes harm. They can harm the environment, economy, and even human health. When an invasive species starts to affect the economy, it becomes a bigger problem because it starts to get expensive to maintain and control.

Earth is home to many diverse and mysterious species. These species thrive within their own ecosystem by adapting to their living habitats and food source. Though when human actions introduce new species to a foreign area where that species never lived before, this is called an exotic species (Phelan, 2013, p.640). Some of these exotic species normally do not cause a threat to the ecosystem to which it is introduced, however some do and these are called invasive species. Invasive species tend to have no predators therefore they can multiply at vastly large numbers and outcompete the native species’ food source and living space. Furthermore these native species have no prior mechanisms to defend themselves from the new invasive species therefore they can fall prey to these new invaders (Phelan, 2013, p.640).

An invasive species is defined as an organism that causes ecological or economic harm in a new environment where it is not native. Whether it be animals or even plants, they exist and will be here to stay if we don’t do anything about it. What we should be doing is actually eating the invasive species which are hard to manage because if we don’t do anything about it now, there may be no stop to them. In addition to this, there are other reasons that we should eat them such as the fact that

An invasive species is a plant or animal that is introduced to specific location where the specie is not native to it; and has the ability to spread very quickly , which is believed to cause damage to the environment, human economy and/or human health. The term most used for this species is Introduced species (also called “non-native”), these species affect the habitats and environments they invade environmentally, economically and ecologically.

Invasive plants, and the effects they have on ecosystems, have attracted the attention of scientists and researchers around the globe. As one of the main drivers of alterations within our ecosystem, invasive plants have the capabilities to alter plant diversity, productivity, soil chemistry and nutrient cycling, as well as degrade habitats, and displace native species (Kuhman, Pearson, & Turner, 2011). Understanding the factors that allow these non-native plant species to invade new habitats will help further efforts to manage invasions and protect our native species.

Throughout the nation countless wars are being waged, with battle lines drawn in backyards and forward positions established in public parks. The enemy is at once elusive and pervasive, spreading silently through our fragile ecosystems and wreaking havoc wherever they arrive. The threat posed by the propagation of invasive species continues to grow graver with each passing year, as non-native pest plants and animals usurp the territory of Australian wildlife, deplete precious resources, and endanger the very survival of entire communities. Consider the term invasive species, which has been applied to non-native species like the cane toad, fire ant, myna bird, red fox and wild rabbit, and it becomes quite clear that, as The Nature Conservancy's Global Invasive Species Initiative stated in 2006, "these invasions pose one of the most significant, but least addressed, international threats to biodiversity, human health, livelihoods, local cultures and national economies."

Across the globe, thousands of exotic plant species have been introduced to native ecosystems worldwide, both intentionally and unintentionally. Today, the ecology and evolutionary potential of alien species are the subjects of several environmental managers. The effects of biological invasions on native communities and ecosystems are a major priority in ecology (Wardle et al. 2011, Simberlo et al. 2012). Due to their faster growth, several studies use alien species to restore areas that have been heavily degraded (Ewel & Putz 2004). Many studies show that several herbivores were found to use alien plants, but their impact was small on alien than on native plants. There are many types of interactions between animal and plant where herbivores

Invasive species are organisms that are not native to an ecosystem and cause harm to it. These organisms are capable of bringing about a great deal of damage to the ecosystems they are foreign to. This can range from disrupting the growth of the environment it has taken over to completely decimating other species. The introduction of invasive species to new environments often involves humans. The way that invasive species are introduced to a new environment varies greatly. Invasive species may be introduced by something as simple as humans accidentally tracking species into a new environment from the bottom of their shoes, or something bigger like destroying an ecosystem to clear the land, forcing the species that lived there to flee to a new ecosystem that can be disrupted by the presence of a new species.

The dangers to our world today have resulted in serious problems. In this regard, our ecosystems are threatened by invasive species. These species have concluded into significant habitat destruction. For example, Phragmites Australis, also known as the common reed is a major invasive species around the world. These originated from Europe and are now found all over the United States. They have been around for two centuries and are still around today. Common reeds are found to be native and nonnative. This species is a part of the grass family, usually hollow and green with yellow knots. They are around 6-13 feet tall and are found in wetlands and ditches. There are three lineages created of the common reed, one, the North American lineage. Invasive species have negative, detrimental effects on the ecosystems and environments.