Invasive Species Pros And Cons

We can diagnose the damage caused by an invasive species by observing the species, by having scientists or volunteers conduct tests in the habitat, use the Early Detection and Rapid Response system (EE&RR), track changes of health problems over time and track losses from farmers and/or other economic interests (Simberloff 99, 171). When tracking health problems over time, we can look at a hospital or emergency records of a disease or bite that was contracted from an invasive species. David Simberloff stated that many types of mosquitoes carried diseases and transmitted them to humans when bitten (105). Diseases along the lines of yellow fever and malaria come from mosquitoes, so when it has transmitted to many humans, they go to the hospital

The pro is that this method is effective, because of the fact that it kills the enemy on sight and they may not come back for a while. The cons are the chemicals can cause health issues to the humans, it will be costly, and it might kill other species in the process. However, as long as the chemical control does its job, we will find ways to make this action easier and inexpensive in the future. On the other hand, there is biological control, or “introducing a species in the hope of controlling a previously introduced species” (Simberloff 213). This “popular approach” also has their own advantages and disadvantages (Simberloff 214 par 1). The advantage is that the newly introduced species will help to eradicate the old introduced species, it is a more earth-friendly approach, is not a threat to human health, and not costly after settling in the new environment (Simberloff 213). The disadvantage is that the new introduced species might go after native species also, to which we can’t control them and try to get rid of the new introduced species. Yet this would be a repeated cycle as the old introduced species will come back and harm other species, then we will release the new introduced species once more, let them harm other species, and try to eradicate the new introduced species

As this is Landers’ way of getting rid of invasive species, we can assume that many people of America will not eat a turtle. Yet in the south, it is common. The snapping turtle, another invasive species in California, is used for ‘snapping turtle soup’ or ‘snapper soup’ (Wikipedia par 5). In New Orleans, Louisiana, turtle soup is made in creole restaurants who call the dish “Caouane” (Wikipedia par 7). Assuming people will not eat these reptiles because of the lack of perspective or they just cannot bring themselves to eat a turtle, this might not be an effective way of getting rid of red-eared sliders in California, but this state has recently banned (in 2010) the eating of imported turtles in hopes that nobody contracts a disease from the turtles (Distribution and Abundance). With that said, this law may be effective towards eradicating these