Huge, Freed Pet Pythons Invade Florida Everglades!

Maryland Wages War on

Invasive Walking Fish

Recent Newspaper Headlines

Stowaway U.S. Corn Rootworm Eats Its Way Across Europe

Chinese Mitten Crab Caught

In Chesapeake Waters 

BrainstormBrainstorm What is an What is an INVADERINVADER? ?

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What is a What is a SPECIESSPECIES??

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An An invasiveinvasive species species is… is… a species that does not a species that does not

naturally occur in a specific naturally occur in a specific area area

a species that causes or is a species that causes or is likely to cause likely to cause economiceconomic harm, or harm, or environmental environmental harm, orharm, or harm to human healthharm to human health

A Serious ProblemA Serious Problem Plants and animals Plants and animals

that have become that have become established established outside their outside their natural range as natural range as the result of the result of human activity human activity pose a huge threat pose a huge threat to the to the biodiversitybiodiversity and health of an and health of an ecosystem. ecosystem.

Once established, the Once established, the alien species alien species can eat the native species or compete can eat the native species or compete with them for habitat, food, or bothwith them for habitat, food, or both. .

Because they lack natural Because they lack natural predators in their new predators in their new environment, the invaders environment, the invaders can…can… drive native species to extinction drive native species to extinction damage ecosystems damage ecosystems cost cost billionsbillions of dollars a year to of dollars a year to

eradicate (remove)eradicate (remove)

How Do Invasive Species How Do Invasive Species Get Here?Get Here?

A majority of the most likely A majority of the most likely pathways involve humanspathways involve humans. . • ““Stowaway” organisms arrive Stowaway” organisms arrive

here inside packing materials.here inside packing materials.• Microscopic creatures are Microscopic creatures are

dumped from ships' ballast water dumped from ships' ballast water tanks. tanks.

• Many plants and animals enter Many plants and animals enter the U.S. as part of the booming the U.S. as part of the booming trade in exotic pets or exotic trade in exotic pets or exotic foods.foods.

The Asian Longhorned The Asian Longhorned BeetleBeetle Many imported goods Many imported goods

are packed on wood are packed on wood pallets. The wood may pallets. The wood may contain insects and contain insects and plant diseases harmful plant diseases harmful to trees in the U.S.to trees in the U.S.

The Asian Longhorned The Asian Longhorned Beetle is believed to Beetle is believed to have entered the U.S. have entered the U.S. in wood pallets from in wood pallets from China.China.

The Asian The Asian Longhorned Longhorned Beetle has the Beetle has the ability to destroy ability to destroy most hardwood most hardwood tree speciestree species, such , such as maple and as maple and poplar.poplar.

Timber, shade Timber, shade trees, and maple trees, and maple syrup production syrup production are all at risk. are all at risk.

Ship Ballast Ship Ballast TanksTanks

After crossing an ocean and nearing a After crossing an ocean and nearing a U.S. port, ships may release U.S. port, ships may release ballast ballast waterwater that has been carried to keep that has been carried to keep the ship at the maximum performance the ship at the maximum performance and safety level. and safety level. AA large ship may large ship may release millions of gallons of water release millions of gallons of water along with species of plant and animal along with species of plant and animal life not native to that port.life not native to that port.

Invasive Species Released via Ballast Invasive Species Released via Ballast WaterWater

Zebra MusselsZebra Mussels can have can have great impacts on lake & great impacts on lake & ocean ecosystem. ocean ecosystem.

Eat large portions of the Eat large portions of the microscopic plants and microscopic plants and animals which form the animals which form the base of the food chain. base of the food chain.

Over time, Zebra Mussels Over time, Zebra Mussels feeding behavior can feeding behavior can affect a lake's entire affect a lake's entire ecological balance, ecological balance, causing significant causing significant changes in native species changes in native species populations. populations.

Zebra Mussel Zebra Mussel ImpactImpact

Clog water and drain Clog water and drain pipes pipes

Cost $5 billion in control Cost $5 billion in control efforts efforts

Displaced native Displaced native freshwater mussels and freshwater mussels and drastically alter the food drastically alter the food web.web.

Their population Their population continues to grow and continues to grow and no immediate end is no immediate end is foreseen.foreseen.

Release of Exotic Species into the Release of Exotic Species into the WildWild

Burmese pythons are Burmese pythons are popular, and legal, pet popular, and legal, pet snakes. snakes.

Adult snakes – 15 ft. long Adult snakes – 15 ft. long Some owners get rid of their Some owners get rid of their

pets by dumping them in the pets by dumping them in the forest.forest.

"All of the Burmese pythons "All of the Burmese pythons that we see in the park are a that we see in the park are a product of the international product of the international pet trade," said Skip Snow, pet trade," said Skip Snow, a wildlife biologist at a wildlife biologist at Everglades National Park. Everglades National Park.

A 10-foot, 3-inch Burmese python captured on an access road to Florida's Everglades National Park

PlantsPlants can be Invasive can be Invasive SpeciesSpecies

KudzuKudzu first arrived here in first arrived here in 1876 as part of the 1876 as part of the Japanese display garden at Japanese display garden at the Centennial Exposition the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, PA.in Philadelphia, PA.

Owners of a Florida Owners of a Florida nursery found that animals nursery found that animals liked to eat kudzu, so liked to eat kudzu, so in in the 1920’sthe 1920’s they advertised they advertised and sold kudzu as a forage and sold kudzu as a forage crop.crop.

During the 1930’s, kudzu During the 1930’s, kudzu was recommended to was recommended to control erosioncontrol erosion. .

So what was the problem?So what was the problem? Kudzu grows almost too well. Kudzu grows almost too well. During warm summer months, kudzu During warm summer months, kudzu

can grow 1-2 feet each day!can grow 1-2 feet each day! A kudzu plant, in optimal growing A kudzu plant, in optimal growing

conditions, can grow conditions, can grow 6060++ feet per year feet per year.. Kudzu rapidly spread and covered Kudzu rapidly spread and covered

trees, power poles, buildings, etc., trees, power poles, buildings, etc., destroying plants, causing electrical destroying plants, causing electrical outages, and becoming an enormous outages, and becoming an enormous nuisance.nuisance.

In Georgia, the legend saysThat you must close your windowsAt night to keep it out of the house.The glass is tinged with green, even so...

From the poem, "Kudzu"

How are Invasive Species How are Invasive Species Detected?Detected?

Inspectors at U.S. international portsInspectors at U.S. international ports detect detect invasive species of plant and animal pestsinvasive species of plant and animal pests that might be found in items being brought that might be found in items being brought into the U.S. into the U.S.

High tech scanning machinesHigh tech scanning machines are used to are used to detect illegal items inside luggage and some detect illegal items inside luggage and some cargo. cargo.

Inspectors also use Inspectors also use trained dogs trained dogs toto sniff sniff luggage to detect food such as fruit, luggage to detect food such as fruit, vegetables, meat, and animal products that vegetables, meat, and animal products that might contain pests harmful to animals and might contain pests harmful to animals and plants in the U.S. plants in the U.S.

People who fish and notice something unusual People who fish and notice something unusual can report it to a park ranger.can report it to a park ranger.

ProjectProject Research one invasive species and become Research one invasive species and become

an expert on it.an expert on it. Internet resources can be found on my Internet resources can be found on my

webpage. webpage. Present your findings as a poster or power Present your findings as a poster or power

point.point. Refer to the guidelines you received in class. Refer to the guidelines you received in class.

Make sure your project contains Make sure your project contains ALL required elements.ALL required elements.

As always, do your best and most beautiful As always, do your best and most beautiful work. work.

Due __________________________Due __________________________

Resources:Resources: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/14/g68/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/14/g68/

newsinvasive.htmlnewsinvasive.html AqAquatic Nuisance Species in Ballast Water Discharges: Issues and Options uatic Nuisance Species in Ballast Water Discharges: Issues and Options

http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/ballast_report_attch5.pdfhttp://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/ballast_report_attch5.pdf http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/EXOTICSP/zebra_mussel.htmhttp://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/EXOTICSP/zebra_mussel.htm http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/

2004/06/0603_040603_invasivespecies.html2004/06/0603_040603_invasivespecies.html