Transcript Invasive_Species_presentation[1]

INVASIVE SPECIES
US D ECLARES WAR
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/animal-planet/39703killer-aliens-war-on-invasive-species-video.htm
D EFINITIONS

NATIVE SPECIES
Plants, animals, and other living things that have
always lived in a certain area
D EFINITIONS

INVASIVE SPECIES
Plants, animals, and other living things that have been
introduced to an area where they don’t belong

Invasive species cause damage to the environment
F IRE A NTS
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/animal-planet/39703-killer-aliens-war-oninvasive-species-video.htm
HOW DO INVASIVE SPECIES
GET HERE ?

Introduction by early European settlers for food,
medicine, or something to remind them of “home”

Release of ballast water from ships (e.g. spiny waterflea)

Escape from fish farms (e.g. Atlantic Salmon in the Pacific)

Use of live bait when fishing (e.g. round goby)

Release or escape from aquarium or water gardens (e.g.
fanwort)

Boating and water sports (e.g. zebra mussels)

Internet and mail ordering
W HY ARE INVASIVE SPECIES A
PROBLEM ?

Compete with native species for food, shelter and
space

Can “take over” and crowd out native species

Can change the way native species use the
environment

Don’t have natural predators in new area

Can interfere with human activities

Can interfere with farmers’ crops

Cost a lot of $$ to remove
C HARACTERISTICS OF
INVASIVE SPECIES

Able to live in a wide range of conditions

Grow quickly

Have lots of young/produce lots of seeds

Able to move away and live in new areas

Broad diet (eat many different things)

Able to adapt to changing conditions

May eat/grow/breed at different times than native
species
C OMMON REED
( Phragmites
australis )

Native to Europe

Brought to North America in ballast material of
ships in 1800’s

Has spread across entire continent
D AMAGE CAUSED BY INVASIVE
PHRAGMITES

Crowds out native plants
D AMAGE CAUSED BY INVASIVE
PHRAGMITES

Crowding out native plants can change the
ecosystem:

the kinds of plants that grow

the animals that live in and use the area
D AMAGE CAUSED BY INVASIVE
PHRAGMITES

Changes the flow of water through the
ecosystem

Changes the way nutrients move through the
system

Increase the chance of fire
D AMAGE CAUSED BY INVASIVE
PHRAGMITES
On Wasaga Beach:

Block nice views of the shoreline/water

Make it hard for people to swim and fish

Keep people from using the beach

Threaten Piping Plover nesting areas
D AMAGE CAUSED BY INVASIVE
PHRAGMITES
H OW DO WE CONTROL
INVASIVE SPECIES ?

PLANTS:
- Pesticides
- Cutting/mowing, pulling, burning
- Insects

ANIMALS:
- Trapping
- Poison
- Barriers
W HAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

DON’T MOVE PLANTS OR ANIMALS!!!

Be a responsible boater/fisher

Follow warning/information signs

Buy native plants for your garden

Get involved in your community

Learn more about invasive species!