Invasive species have been destroying Minnesota waters for many years. The measures that are taken to stop and control them are not as thorough as they should be. The biggest characteristic with invasive species is that, they are not native. This means they are not supposed to be in Minnesota waters. Invasive species can be a plant or an animal, such as a mussel, fish, weed, or snail. Some effects of invasive species are that, they can kill native fish, destroy spawning beds, and cause much more environmental harm. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, DNR, has been doing studies to show the harm of these species for example, the DNR set out 32 boats on Minnesota's most popular lakes such as Gull, Alexander, and many more to look at the spawning beds. Their research showed that many invasive species have destroyed all key areas (MN DNR Article 2). This brings in the big question, what are some better methods to stop and control invasive species?
Invasive species do much harm to the environment and this harm could be continued if we do not take action. If we took action invasive species could be stopped before something very significant happens. The most important thing in almost everybody's life is their own health, or the health of loved ones. Invasive species can cause harm to people by cutting them in various parts of the body. Also some invasive species such as blue green algae are very toxic which can kill a person if ingested or if the fumes are present for long enough (MN DNR WEB). A very common issue that invasive species have on human health is, some species grow in large thick groups of weeds that swimmers get caught in and often drown. Invasive species do much more harm than just to people. They can destroy j...
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...s: Minnesota DNR. DNR, Feb.-Mar. 2013. Web. 1 Apr. 2013
DNR, MN. "Faucet Snail (Bithynia Tentaculata)." : Minnesota DNR. N.p., July-Aug. 2011. Web. 14 Apr. 2013.
Larson, Jessica. "Invasive Aquatic Species an on Going Fight." Brainerd, Minnesota. Minnesota DNR, 2013 Mar. 14. Web. 25 Mar. 2013.
Minnesota DNR. "Boaters and Fisherman Take Note: Fines Double." BrainerddalilyDispatch.com. Brainerd Dispatch, June-July 2012. Web. June-July 2012
Minnesota DNR. "DNR: Aquatic Invasive Species Violation Rates Unacceptable." Brainerd, Minnesota. Brainerd DIspatch, 18 Feb. 2013. Web. 21 Mar. 2013.
Minnesota DNR. "Is That an Invasive Species?" Brainerd, Minnesota. Brainerd Dispatch, Mar.-Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Mar. 2013.
Ward, John. "Ward's Invasive Species Bill Advances." Brainerd, Minnesota. Brainerd Dispatch, 12 Dec. 2011. Web. 25 Mar. 2013.
As if there weren’t enough problems for scientists trying to save the Great Lakes Eco System. Many non-native species have entered the eco system and many of them are harmful. Every species in itself has played a role in the eco system. These non-native species make it increasingly difficult for the Great Lakes Eco System to be regulated.
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.
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.
...d when transoceanic ships drop anchor in freshwater ports. They have become an invasive species in North America, and as such they are the target of Federal policy to control them, for instance in the National Invasive Species Act (1996).
Invasive species do not only affect other species in their ecosystem, but also cost the United States more than one hundred and twenty million dollars each year in damages (“Cost” par. 2). Invasive species come in all different forms, and all have a negative impact on the environment. These species can come into a new area without being detected at first, but as time goes on their effects can soon be seen. Efforts are being made to prevent these invasive species from destroying fish population and habitat, but in order to be successful they need to be done on a much larger scale. In order to protect Wisconsin's waters, which are already infected with many invasive species that cause great damage to our bodies of water, more actions need to be taken. It is vital to remove all invasive species from Wisconsin’s waters because it will improve fish habitat, native fish population, and water quality.
U.S. Department of the interior, National Park Service. (2013). Endangered Species. Retrieved from website: http://www.nature.nps.gov/biology/endangeredspecies/index.cfm
“Summary Report for: Fish and Game Wardens”. O Net Online. 2014.Web. 4 April 2014. >.
Eurasian milfoil or Myriophyllum spicatum is an aquatic invasive plant that can be found throughout the Chicagoland area and in surrounding bodies of water. This plant can be a hindrance to swimming, boating, and fishing because of their thick, tangled stems and mats of vegetation. According to the Minnesota Sea Grant, Eurasian milfoil also overcrowd a body of water, which leaves little room for the plants native to the Great Lakes. One prediction is that if the Eurasian milfoil is not stopped, a reduction of biodiversity may result in Chicago and the areas surrounding it. If this was to occur, the ecosystems of the Midwest region would be significantly impacted in a negative way.
Great Lakes Fishery Commission. A river reversed, a problem created. Journal Sentinel, 2010. JPEG file. http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/97745959.html
The piece I chose to do my literary analysis on was the article, The Truth About Invasive Species, written by Alan Burdick. The article states that invasive species are all around us, but the area with the most prominent amount is the suburbs of Miami. It goes into detail about how abundant invasive species are in this area. Most people who would see a strange animal in their lawn or area would be bemused, however for the people of Southern Florida, this is a recurring scene. Burdick states that “virtually everyone in the South Florida, including Hardwick, has a neighbor with a backyard menagerie of lucrative critters on hold for resale”. Burdick describes both how an invasive species is introduced into an ecosystem, and the impact the have on other species upon their arrival.
Department of Fish and Wildlife. (2012). 2012-13 Co-Managers' list of Agreed Fisheries Olympia, WA Retrieved from: http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/tribal/2012-13agreement.pdf
Parry, Wynne. (Sept. 23Rd , 2011) Exotic Pets Turning Invasive, Threatning Florida. Tech Media. Retrieved March 10th 2014, from http://www.livescience.com/16204-florida-invasive-reptiles-amphibians.html
Niskern, Diana. Invasive species. Washington, D.C. (101 Independence Ave., S.E.): Science Reference Section, Science, Technology, and Business Division, Library of Congress, 2004.
Invasive alien species are disrupting and changing the normal ecological functions of biomes, ecosystems, and the biosphere as a whole (CBD, 2009). They are a threat to biodiversity and can cause damage to, or even eradicate native species which natural cycles and other organisms depend on. While disrupting energy flow, food chains, and shaking the structure of ecosystems to the core, invasive species create not only ecological, but also a whole host of social, economical, and health issues that affect the livelihood of almost every organism on earth, including humans (CBD, 2009).