Invasive Species: The Mimosa The Mimosa, also known as the Silk Tree, originated in Asia and was introduced to the US in 1745. The Mimosa is considered an invasive species because of the threat it presents to other native plants. Its ability to withstand extreme conditions and rapidly re-spout leaves the Mimosa at an advantage over many other plants. It presents several ecological threats to the areas it populates; however, the resilient tree remains a popular ornamental because of the beautiful flowers it produces. The delicate-looking tree ranges from 10 to 50 feet in height. Its bark is thin, smooth and light brown in color. It resembles a fern with it had fernlike leaves. The leaves are bipinnately and are about 7 inches in length and 3
would appear to be big and old, probably scarred from weather and time, as a tree might look.
Invasive species as a whole have become a nuisance to many habitats and ecosystems around the world. What defines an invasive species is the following. It must be a species that is foreign to the habitat it resides in, have no natural predators which allow it to reproduce in such a rapid manner, and out compete native animals of food and shelter (Rosenthal 2011). These characteristics are what create such high populations of these invasive species in various habitats around the globe.
It’s a kind of tree in Lienid, the po tree. In autumn, its leaves turn silver and gold. Inevitable name, I guess.” (Cashore 99).
Invasive species are non-native organisms that occupy habitats and disrupt the natural ecological cycles of the habitat. They threaten the biodiversity of an ecosystem and are biological pollutants Invasive species introduced into new habitats usually maximize their reproduction in their new home and crowd out native species. Their lack of natural predators in their new community allow for a proliferation in growth and expansion as a result of their abundant food supply. Once they are established, invasive species can rarely be eliminated because their new habitat is favorable for their survival.
Should exotic snakes or other large reptiles be allowed as pets in Florida? Right now these escaped/released feral reptiles create an estimated $120 billion in environmental damage each year according to David Steen on Slates Animal Blog.
Invasive species are organisms that harm a new environment that they are not native to. Many invasive species like Eurasian milfoil are easily able to reproduce and can do so fast. Due to this, the limited space in a body of water or area of land is quickly taken over by the invasive species so other native plants face the risk of death or even extinction. Overall, these invasive species can do great harm to an ecosystem or an economy, causing problems that are destructive to numerous organisms.
By Dorotea Gucciardo. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print. Morley, Joyce Anne Deane.
First, the kukui tree is one that can be easily recognized due to its unique physical characteristics. Simply based on its size, the tree can grow up to 80 feet with trunks that are three feet in diameter. Also, the tree stands out very much because of its silver-green colored leaves that darken with age (World Agroforestry). These characteristics of size and color are very distinguishable from a distance but that is not all that the tree has to offer. The nuts hidden within the leaves only grow up to around two inches in diameter but are still distinguishable. Also, the tree contains small bunches of flowers but these are harder to notice (World Agroforestry). These features attribute to the plant’s appearance but more importantly serve some adaptive purpose.
United States. Invasive Species: Plant Invaders. Vallejo, Calif: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, 2012.
Bursera Microphylla- also known as the elephant tree. These are small trees or big shrubs that have large trunks that are used to store water. Bursera Microphylla normally have pinnate leaves that are shed when their habitats are experiencing a drought, but the plants have adapted to be able to photosynthesize through the stems of their trunk...
3. Chapter 1, page 5, #3: “Moving through the soaked, coarse grass I began to examine each one closely, and finally identified the tree I was looking for by means of certain small scars rising along its trunk, and by a limb extending over the river, and another thinner limb growing near it.
A plant with opposite leaves, white to dark gold flowers in the spring, and tiny red berries in the fall, emerge to be the Amur Bush Honeysuckle. The root of the Honeysuckle is from birds planting the seeds. Amur Bush Honeysuckle is an extremely invasive plant species that was brought over from Asia, to southern Ohio in the late 1950s, however, it is a non-native species (harvard.edu, 1997). This plant grows at rapid speeds with a large ability to reseed. When Honeysuckle is planted it tends to take over uncontrollably and decrease the growth of other species around it. Honeysuckle usually flourishes near water or roadways. In other words, Honeysuckle is very plentiful and invasive in some areas, but negatively impacts the environment, water quality, and other organisms.
Invasive species, (also known as invasive alien species or simply alien species) are defined as any organism (plant, animal, pathogen, or other living thing) that is alien (non-native) to an ecosystem, which can cause adverse economical, ecological, or health effects to native species and/or humans. The roots of these problems all stem from the massive negative ecological impact these organisms are having on the environment (CBD, 2009). For all animal extinctions where the cause is known since the 1600’s, invasive alien species have been a contributing factor 40% of the time (CBD, 2006); the second most contributing factor to extinctions after loss of habitat (GC, 2013). By eliminating native species through competition for resources, predation, and transmittal of disease, invasive species continue to reduce biodiversity in almost all ecosystems around the world (CBD, 2009). In the future, this problem may worsen, and if no action is taken, could lead to a cascading ecological problem so large that whole communities or even ecosystems could collapse.
The green leaves are mixed in with the flowers. The shades of the green leaves range from light yellowish green to dark bluish green. Most of them are shaped like tiny bananas and others are wider, like pears or apples. The crashing water near by drowns out the scent of the leaves’ chlorophyll. Some of the leaves are almost as smooth as the flowers, but some are rough, similar to a rug. The leaves are grouped together like many little trees. The trees and leaves cover the soil and the bottom part of the tree—like a drooping green gown.