Introduction- Invasive Species

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, an invasive species can be defined as “an alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. [It] can affect aquatic ecosystems directly or by affecting the land in ways that harm aquatic ecosystems.” Invasive species represent the second leading cause of species extinction and loss of biodiversity in aquatic environments worldwide.  In this blog, our group will briefly go into the causes of invasive species and will touch on possible solutions to this issue.

Causes- Invasive Species

The rise of the human species would not have been possible without the ability of travel and the expansion of available destinations.  This was achieved via the creation of such modes of transport as the train, the automobile, and especially for long distances, the plane and the ship.  As time went on, more and more of the basic problems were solved and traveling became less of a harrowing task and more of a common endeavor. Now that the common issues are solved, we now realize some of the ecological impacts distant traveling is making, especially in invasive species. Planes and boats are carrying in different species from one ecosystem to another completely unique one. Sometimes, this maybe intended, a passenger thinking a particular species has a unique aesthetic to be brought back home. Other times, it is unintentional, such as when a species may accidentally be carried onto cargo planes or other planes or especially when the ballast water of one area is transported to the waters of a ships home.

In any case, Invasive species can be an ecological nuisance and often detrimental to other environment. A new invasive species may be coming in, but none of its natural predators come with it. With no natural predators such species have the freedom to grow outwards at incredible rates. Along with no natural predators, these species will often have defense mechanisms that the endemic species have no natural defense to, such as the porcelain berry that will inject a poison into the ground so that no surrounding plants may grow around it. Some other examples of invasive species are Phragmites australis, the European grass reed that can have devastating effects on east coast estuaries, or Starlings, the British speckled-wing black bird from England that’s beginning to take over as a major factor of the bird population.

Graphics of Causes- Invasive Species

This is a comical representation of invasive species. The top picture represents "space invaders" and the bottom shows how unwanted animals can enter a country through boats.

Research Document- Invasive Species

Invasive species: what you can do. (2011). Retrieved from

http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/habitats/forests/help/invasive-plant-

species-invasive-species-education.xml

·      Clean boats before you use them in a new area

·      Use non-invasive plants in your garden

·      Do not transport firewood to a non-native area

·      Do not release exotic pets or animals into the wild

Invasive species. (2010, March 2). Retrieved from

http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/issues/invasivespecies.cfm

·      Human actions are the main cause of invasive species

·      Invasive species can also harm humans, not just the environment

Invasive species. (2011, April 6). Retrieved from

http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/habitat/invasive_species_index.cfm

·      Invasive species are a large threat to ecosystems on a local and global scale

·      Invasive species are the second leading cause of extinction

·      Invasive species affect ecosystems by

o   Killing natives

o   Changing water tables

o   Changing run-off dynamics and fire frequency

·      They disrupt boating activities and tourism

·      Boats are the main cause of invasive species

Solutions Document- Invasive Species

In order to target this problem, our team has gathered some possible solutions to this issue. To target intentional invasive species interaction, we would suggest stricter codas and restrictions for what can be brought from outside countries. Search of luggage should be more thorough and restrictions on legally brought species should also be stricter. As for shipping, more should be done regarding the changing of ballast water. Ballast water stations should be built along major trade routes so that water can be changed constantly along the route instead of immediately once docked into port. The water transitioned from one station to another will less likely be as foreign to the station as it would be to the dock.

Grapic of Solution- Invasive Species

The above graphic represents ballast water stations to change water before reaching the dock. This avoids introducing foreign water to other places around the world. The airplane above shows that foreign plants and animals should not be transported to other locations.

Introduction- Oil Spills

Oil spills continue to be a huge environmental issue. They not only affect the quality of the water the oil is released in, but also the environment and organisms surrounding that body of water. For example, the smallest amount of oil can cause catastrophic affects to the mortality of birds, even if it is not visible to the naked eye. The ocean is a mysterious place, and we are still unclear as to how certain ecosystems function, and if we continue to have oil accidents in major bodies of water, we’ll never learn information about certain species if they go extinct. Because of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, that occurred last year, cleaning solely that area is not enough. To restore the area basically back to what it originally was, we need to rearrange the entire ecosystem. Oil spills affect the environment, the economy, and the lives of many.