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This has been going on for a long time. We are constantly introducing
nonnative species for some reason, and a good number of these become
"invasive". An "invasive species" is defined as a species that is 1)
non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and 2)
whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental
harm or harm to human health. Want a current list, here it is:
Its quite impressive. Some you know well, others you haven't heard of.
Terrestrial Plants
Autumn
olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)
Chinese
tallow (Sapium sebiferum)
Downy
brome (Bromus tectorum)
Garlic
mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Japanese
honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
Japanese
knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum)
Kudzu (Pueraria
montana var. lobata)
Leafy
spurge (Euphorbia esula)
Mile-A-Minute Weed (Polygonum perfoliatum)
Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora)
Musk
thistle (Carduus nutans)
Russian
knapweed (Acroptilon repens)
Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)
Saltcedar (Tamarix
spp.)
Scotch
broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Scotch
thistle (Onopordum acanthium)
Spotted
knapweed (Centaurea maculosa)
Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
Yellow
star thistle (Centaurea solstitialis)
Terrestrial Animals
Africanized honeybee (Apis mellifera scutellata)
Asian
long-horned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis)
Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus)
Brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis)
Cane toad
(Bufo marinus)
Cactus moth
(Cactoblastis cactorum)
Emerald ash
borer (Agrilus planipennis)
European gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar)
European starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Formosan
subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus)
Glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca coagulata)
Hemlock
Woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae)
Red imported
fire ant (Solenopsis invicta)
Wild Boar
(Sus scrofa)
Aquatic & Wetlands Plants
Brazilian waterweed (Egeria densa)
Caulerpa,
Mediterranean clone (Caulerpa taxifolia)
Common reed (Phragmites australis)
Eurasian water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)
Giant
hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
Giant-reed
(Arundo donax)
Giant
salvinia (Salvinia molesta)
Hydrilla (Hydrilla
verticillata)
Melaleuca (Melaleuca
quinquenervia)
Purple
loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
Water
chestnut (Trapa natans)
Water
hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)
Aquatic & Wetlands Animals
Alewife (Alosa
pseudoharengus)
Asian swamp
eel (Monopterus albus)
Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)
Eurasian
ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus)
European
green crab (Carcinus maenas)
Flathead catfish (Pylodictus olivaris)
Northern Snakehead (Channa argus)
Nutria
(Myocastor coypus)
Round goby (Neogobius
melanostomus)
Sea
lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)
Veined
rapa whelk (Rapana venosa)
Zebra
mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)
Microbes
Exotic Newcastle
Disease (Paramyxovirus)
Fowlpox
(Avipoxvirus)
Plum Pox
(Potyviruses: Potyviridae)
Soybean
Rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi, Phakopsora meibomiae)
Sudden Oak
Death (Phytophthora ramorum)
West
Nile virus (Flavivirus)
Whirling
Disease (Myxobolus cerebralis)
How do these things get introduced? Sometimes by accident (fire
ants), sometimes on purpose (nutria). Stop importing things people.
These things are bad. History should show you that we can't control
nature, and we should leave uncontrollable things where they are.
That's usually where they are stable and happy.
Sometimes our own stupidity makes me laugh. One of my favorite
places is Argentina. I came across the following story a while ago.
Apparently, in Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina,
they have a beaver problem on par with our nutria problem.
Apparently some former military government official, in 1946 decided to
import 25 beavers from North America (Canada) to try and start a fur
industry (hmmm...sounds familiar).
The fur trade never matured, and with no natural predators, the beavers are
multiplying and destroying forests, rivers (building dams), and everything
else
in their path.
What is funny about that is how ironic it is. We have yet another
parallel between North and South America.
In 1937, We imported some nutria from South America to try the same thing
(fur industry), with similar results. Now the nutria are out of
control (they were "accidentally" set free into the wild after a hurricane,
interestingly, after the fur industry hadn't appeared and wasn't going to.
hmmmm...), destroying everything in their path in the wetlands.
Its a typical story, this is not an America
only problem, the rest of the world is apparently just as stupid. What
are you thinking people?
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