ALIEN SPECIES
Species that are accidentally or purposefully introduced to a new location
Also known as:Introduced speciesNon-native speciesExotic species
Can also be…..INVASIVE SPECIES
INVASIVE SPECIES Non-native species that cause harm to the
ecosystem in which it has been introduced Often has no predators in new area so they
reproduce faster than native species
How do they cause problems?Take over habitat of native speciesInvade their bodiesDisrupt ecosystemCompete with native species for food and habitat
EXAMPLES OF INVASIVE SPECIES Asian Carp:
voracious feeders can grow to 40-50 kg consuming large quantities of food, muscling out native fish
populations, and altering native habitat
August 14, 2009:○ Reached barrier at
ChicagoJune 22, 2010:
○ Carp caught past barrier in Illinois
Part 1 (7:05 min): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS7zkTnQVaMPart 2 (6:39 min): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ChwJiKKBdA
EXAMPLES OF INVASIVE SPECIES: Zebra Mussels:
First detected in great lakes in 1988Arrived in ballast water of ship
○ Ballast water: water picked up by ships to stabilize them
while at sea, released at destination
Effects:○ Blocked pipelines○ Cut people’s feet○ Filter feeders, contain high amounts of
pollutants, passed onto predators
EXAMPLES OF INVASIVE SPECIES: Purple Loosestrife:
Introduced from Europe in 1800s as ornamental plant
Invaded wetlands throughout eastern North America, choking out many native species
Altered wetland ecosystem for other species
Invasive Species inCootes Paradise
Carp- Fishway constructed to prevent carp from getting in, but allowing smaller fish- Water level manipulation also used
Purple Loosestrife- beetles released that only feed on purple loosestrife- native predators of loosestrife beetles are ladybeetles, true bugs, predaceous beetles, spiders, and possibly birds, frogs, and lizards
More info - http://jessiealley.wordpress.com/tag/cootes-paradise/
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.062491,-95.677076&spn=66.711008,158.027344&t=f&z=3&ecpose=37.06250381,-95.67706712,19119373.11,0,0,0
WHAT CAN YOU DO? Do not release alien plants or animals (including pets
and live bait) into the wild.
Do not bring fruit, vegetables, plants, or animals with you across borders.
Before taking a recreational trip, inspect and clean fishing equipment, boats, trailers, recreational vehicles, and other items that may harbour hitch-hiking invaders.
Do not transport over long distances firewood or other wood with bark attached.
Reference: Hinterlands Who’s Who: Issues and Topics: Invasive and Alien Species in Canada, http://www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?id=220
Consequence Mapping What is it?
- a visual tool for illustrating the many kinds of future effects related to a real or imaginary event, issue or problem- ask a “What if?” question and brainstorm all the consequences- Let’s try an example:
What if we ban cars?
- We can categorize our consequences as social, scientific, legal and ethical, economic, personal or environmental.
Home Fun !:
Complete handout
a) Read pages 59 & 66 and answer the questions
b) Complete the consequence map on invasive species
Cane Toad 1935 introduced in Australia to eat scarab beetles destroying
sugar cane fields only 100 toads imported from Hawaii, soon exploded into 10
000 shortly after introduction, found out that toads unable to fly,
climb or scale sugar cane to eat the beetles that lived in upper portion of cane
toads became voracious predators to almost everything except the beetle
Cane toad videoclip (8:12 min): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpNl8AAFyL4&feature=related
Snakehead Aggressive can grow to 1.5 meters in length can survive out of water for days can also jump into boats, rip their prey in half
or sever a human arm with their powerful jaws Dubbed “Frankenfish” by U.S. media well adapted to cold water no natural predators in North America
Snakehead videoclip (3:40 min): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmU7etSYYqI
Snakehead info: http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/snakehead/overview.php
More info: http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/aquatics/snakehead.shtml
Asian Longhorned Beetle 1996 – arrived accidently in cargo from Asia Destroys hardwood trees, including maple
(50% of trees in GTA are maple) Potential to destroy 50% of harwood forests in
North America No known natural enemies in Canadian forests
Video (2:45 min): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt4LEWiXu3U
More info: http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Forests/2ColumnSubPage/STEL02_166979.html