At first glance invasive species does not sound very scary however the presence of invasive species in places that they do not belong, has negatively impacted wildlife and the environment they inhibit. Invasive species is one the leading threats to native wildlife. About 42% of threatened or endangered species are at risk due to invasive species. Not only do invasive species have an effect on wildlife, human health and economies are also at risk from invasive species. The impacts of invasive species on the Earth's natural ecosystems and economy cost billions of dollars each year. Many of the commercial, agricultural, and recreational activities depend on healthy native ecosystems.
An invasive species can be any kind of living organism, for example an amphibian, plant, insect, fish, fungus, bacteria, or an organism’s seeds or eggs. Anything that is not native to an ecosystem and thus causes harm. Invasive species can harm the environment, the economy, or even human health. Species that grow and reproduce quickly, and spread aggressively, with potential to cause harm, are given the label invasive.
An example of an invasive species, are water chestnuts. This specific species of plants originates from China and are usually imported to different countries since they can be used in cooking or in other ways. The water chestnut is now a prevalent issue in the Hudson River which is located in the United States. The growth of the water chestnuts in the Hudson River has classified them as an invasive species, due to the fact the Hudson River did not originally have any presence of this plant. The growth of the water chestnuts has interrupted the daily lives of fishermen, boaters and even the organisms that live in the Hudson River.
Invasive species cause harm to wildlife in many ways. When a new and aggressive species is introduced into an ecosystem, it may not have any natural predators or controls. As a result, it can breed and spread quickly. Native wildlife may not have evolved defenses against the invader, or they may not be able to compete with a species that has no predators.
The direct threats of invasive species include preying on native species, out competing native species for food or other resources, causing or carrying disease, and preventing native species from reproducing or killing a native species' young.
There are indirect threats of invasive species as well. Invasive species can change the food web in an ecosystem by destroying or replacing native food sources. The invasive species may provide little to no food value for wildlife. Invasive species can also alter the abundance or diversity of species that are important habitat for native wildlife.
With so many different challenges that we as a planet are facing, it is of the utmost importance to continue to be informed about all the different issues that must be resolved. By educating and learning about different ways to assist our Earth we can tackle each and every obstacle that comes our way.
Purnima Chopra
References:
https://www.pnas.org/content/98/10/5446/
https://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/fulltext/S0169-5347(05)00004-2
Comments