RunningHead:INVASIVESPECIESTAKEOVER

InvasiveSpeciesTakeover
EvanCarey
DepartmentofInvasiveSpeciesTakeOverPreventionInAmerica
(DISTOPIA)

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TableofContents

Abstract

InvasiveSpeciesTakeover

Figures

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WorksCited

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Abstract
Thispaperprovidesanoverviewontheenvironmentalissueofinvasiveanimalspeciestaking
overahabitat.Itseekstoanswerquestionsoftheoriginofinvasivespeciestakeovers,the
causesofit,itsconsequences,andpossiblesolutions.Italsotakesintoaccounttheviewsof
peoplewhobelievethatthetakeoversarebeneficial.Theoveralleffectofinvasiveanimal
speciestakingoverhabitatsisnegativebecauseitdecreasesbiodiversitybydisplacingnatural
residentsofthehabitat.Despiteitsnegativitytherearesomebenefitstotheintroductionofa
speciessuchaspestcontrolintheagriculturefieldofwork.Thisintroductionpreventspests
fromeatingcropsandloweringthecropyieldsoffarmers.Inthelongrunthespeciestakeover
willimpactnegativelyontheenvironmentasitchangeshoweachenvironmentsfoodchainis
structured.Tohelpresolvethisissuespeciesshouldbetestedinacontrolledenvironmenttosee
howitwillaffectahabitat,andmissinglinksinthefoodchaincanbecompletedtohelppreserve
thestructureofthehabitat.

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InvasiveSpeciesTakeover
Theworldisfilledwithanimalsofdifferentformswithdifferentabilitiesandskills.
Eachanimalplaysaroleinitsenvironmentwhethertheyareprey,hunters,ortheyhelpprotect
othersorcreatehomesforthem.Itdoesntmatterhowwhattheirroleis,eachspeciesis
importantinthebalanceoftheenvironment.Thereisakindofspeciesthoughthatdisturbsthis
balance,invasivespecies.Aninvasivespeciesisaspeciesthatis,bothnonnativetothe
ecosysteminwhichitisfoundandcapableofcausingenvironmental,economic,orhuman
harm.(PacificNorthwestResearchStation,2015)
Invasivespecieshavebeenaroundbeforeanyonecansaytheynoticedanything.Thisis
duetothefactthatspeciescanbecomeapparentthroughintroductionbyhumansorthrough
naturalmeanssuchasmigration.Therealproblemofinvasivespeciesisthattheytakeoverthe
newecosystemstheyareintroducedorfindthemselvesin.Thetransportationofanimalsby
humanscanbepurposefuloraccidental.Theseanimalscanbetradedasexoticpetsthatare
releasedortheycanbestowawaysonshipsorinwood(InvasiveSpeciesNationalWildlife
Federation).Thereleasewouldbeconsideredthepurposefulintroductionandthestowawaysare
accidentalasthepeoplewereunawareoftheirpresence.Stowawaysareadangerouskindof
invasivespeciesduetothefactthattheyaretransportedwithoutknowledgesotheycanchoose
togetoffwherevertheychoose,whichleadstomassspreadingofthespecies.Anexampleofa
speciesthathasdonethisistheZebraMussel,ananimalthatstowedawayonships(SeeMap1).
Besidespetsspeciesmaybepurposefullyintroducedintoanenvironmenttoactasabiological
pestcontrol.Theyareintroducedtoprotectcropsandincreasetheiryield,unfortunatelythese
speciesoftentakeoverareasandcausenativepopulationstodecrease.Despitehumansplaying

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aneverincreasingroleinspeciesinvasions(Rafferty,2015)speciesalsomigratenaturallyand
becomeinvasive.
Somespeciesjustmovearoundnaturallyaccordingtoseasonsandenvironments.This
meanstosaythattheydecidedtostaysomewherethatmetalltheirneedsastheyweregoing
fromoneplacetoanother.Manyinsects,birds,andfishbecomeinvasivethisway.Some
reasonstheymayfindthemselvesdecidingtostayinanenvironmenttheydidntbeforecouldbe
duetoglobalclimatechange.Thechangesintheclimatemaymaketheenvironmenthabitable
forthemigratingspeciesbychangingtheweatherpatternsandtemperaturesofwaterandair
(InvasiveSpeciesNationalWildlifeFederation).Theglobalclimatechangecanbelinkedto
humans,duetohumanscontributingmajorlytotheemissionsofgreenhousegasses,buthumans
cannotbeblamedforthemigrationandinvasionofspeciesthroughnaturalmeans.Despite
invasivespeciesbeinguntrackablesometimes,suchasstowaways,peoplehavemadeattemptsto
tryandcontrolinvasivespecies.
ThereareorganizationsouttherelikeDISTOPIAsuchastheNationalInvasiveSpecies
Council(NISC).TheNISCwas,establishedby
ExecutiveOrder(EO)13112
toensurethat
Federalprogramsandactivitiestopreventandcontrolinvasivespeciesarecoordinated,effective
andefficient.(NationalInvasiveSpeciesCouncil,2015)Someactionsthisorganizationdoesis
draftandreviseaninvasivespeciesmanagementplan,trackprogressundertheplan,andtowork
withtheDepartmentofstateonsettingstandards(NationalInvasiveSpeciesCouncil,2015).
Thisorganizationasstatedwassetupbyanexecutiveorder,soitwassetupbythefederal
government,butitwasnttheonlyplanlacedbythefederalgovernment.Anotherlawwouldbe
theLaceyAct,usedtopreventillegalintroductionsofandtomanageinvasivespeciesby

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regulatingtheimportationandinterstatetransportofanimalspeciesdeterminedtobeinjurious
(Burdyshaw,2011).Despitehavinglawsandplanstopreventandregulateinvasivespecies
invasivespeciesstilltakeover,andwhentheytakeoverthereareconsequences.
Invasivespeciestakeoversdontendwellfornativespeciesandtheenvironmentin
general.Consequencesthatcomeaboutwhenaninvasivespeciestakesoverrangefromnatural
inhabitantdisplacement,naturalinhabitantextinction,foodchaindisturbance,andhabitat
destruction.Whentheinvasivespeciesenterstheecosystemitimmediatelycreatescompetition
withnativespecieswithsimilartraits.Whentheyarecompetinginvasivespecieswilloften
comeoutontopandbegintodisplacethenativespecies.Agoodexampleofthisisthe
increasingnumberofBurmesePythons(invasive)takingAlligators(native)offthetopofthe
kingdomintheeverglades(Fears,2015).Justlikenativespecies,invasivespeciesmusteatto.
Throughthehuntingofotheranimals,invasivespeciescancauseotheranimalstobecome
extinctornearlyextinct.AnexampleofthiswouldbehowtheBrownTreeSnake(invasive)has
causedmanyofthebirdsinGuamtoeitherleaveorbecomeextinct(Fears,2015).The
overhuntingofpreyanddisplacementofnativeinhabitantscanwillcauseslinkstodisappearin
thefoodchain(Rafferty,2015).TheBrownTreesnakeisanothergoodexampleofthis
disturbanceseeingashowithasnowmovedontoeatinglizardsbecausetherearenobirdsleft
forittopreyon(Fears,2015).Theninvasivespeciescancausehabitatdestructionbydestroying
theconditionsoftheenvironment.AnexampleofthiswouldbehowtheNutria(invasive)has
destroyedenvironmentsbycreatingburrowsliketheoneinimage1throughendlessdiggingon
thebanksofriversripsupplantsbytheroot,causingsoiltoerode(Fears,2015).Besidesall
theseeffectsontheenvironment,invasivespeciescanalsoaffecthumansagreatdeal.

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Wheninvasivespeciestakeovertheybecomeabundantandpeoplerunintothemmore
often.Thesespeciescanbecarryingdiseasesthatgroupsofpeoplehaventseenbeforecausing
outbreaksofdiseaseswithoutanimmediatecure.Besidesthistheycancausebodilyharm
throughbitesandstings.ExamplesofspeciesthatbiteandstingaretheRedImportedFireAnt
andtheRasberryCrazyAnt(Westbrooks).Ontopofharmingthepeopledirectlyinvasive
speciescanalsowreakhavoconfacilities.ForexampletheZebraMusselcanrestrictwater
intakesofhydroelectricandnuclearpowerplants,publicwatersupplyplants,andindustrial
facilities.(Westbrooks).AnotherexampleishowRasberryCrazyAntsareattractedto
electricalequipmentandoftencauseelectricalshortages(Westbrooks).Theseareall
consequencesofinvasivespeciestakingover.Takeoverisabundantandincreaseseachyear
especiallyinlakesasshowningraph1.Basedontheinformationprovidedbythisgraphone
cansafelyassumethatthemostlikelyoutcomeisthatinvasivespeciesnumberswillcontinueto
increaseeachyearespeciallyinlakes.Sowhatallowsthesespeciestotakeovertheenvironment
anddisplacethenatives?
Invasivespeciesareforeignerstotheenvironment.Theycomefromanenvironment
withdifferentchallengessotheycometothisnewplacewithadifferentsetofskillsand
conditions.Theseskillsandconditionsarewhatallowtheinvasivespeciestotakeover.These
speciesoftencomeintothisnewenvironmentwithalackofpredatorsandpests(Pacific
NorthwestResearchStation,2015)Thisallowsthespeciestothriveandreproducewithout
anythingrestrictingitsnumbers.Theonlythingthatrestrictstheirreproductionwouldbealimit
offoodsupply.Eventhisdoesntstopthemthough.Theinvasivespeciesoftenoutcompetes
nativespeciesforfoodastheyareoftenmoreaggressiveandhavehuntingandfeedingtactics

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theotherorganismsintheenvironmentarentusedto(PacificNorthwestResearchStation,
2015).Thiscompetitiondrivesnativespeciespopulationstodecline,orevenbecome
nonexistent.AnexampleofsuchasituationwouldbethetakeoverofBurmesePythonsinthe
wetlandsofFlorida.TheBurmesePythonwasnotnativeinfloridabutbecameinvasivethrough
theescapeofthemfrompetownersandshops.Whenitgotintothewetlands,wherethe
Alligator(seeimage2)ruled,itquicklybegancompetingwithAlligatorsforfood.Duetothe
sizeanddexterityoftheBurmesePython(seeimage3)andthesuddenintroductionthenative
specieswerecaughtoffguardandquicklybegantolosetheirdominance(Rafferty,2015).
Despitehavingthehomefieldadvantagethenativespecies,nothavingexperiencewiththe
invasivespecies,thenativeshaveadifficulttimecopingwiththeintruder.Meanwhilethe
invasivespeciesisabletoquicklyadapttoitsnewenvironmentduetoalackofpredatorsandan
abundanceoffood(PacificNorthwestResearchStation,2015).Withthisknowledgeonemay
thinkitisverysimpletosolvetheproblembutitisntnearlyassimpleasonemayassume.
Thesolutiontodealingwithinvasivespeciestakeoverscanbeapproachedfromtwo
directions.Onedirectionisprevention,theotherismonitoranderadicate(WhatWeDotoStop
InvasiveSpecies).Thefirstsolutionsuggestthatthebestwaytostopinvasivespeciestakeovers
istopreventinvasivespeciesfrombeingintroduced.Thisisthoughtbymanytobethemost
effectiveapproachtoissue(Rafferty,2015).Thewaythiswouldbeputintoactionwouldbeto
searchshipsandotheritemscomingtoandfromplacestomakesuretheyarenttransportingany
foreignorganisms.Thistechniquehoweverwontdomuchforstowawaysandforspeciesthat
havealreadyinvadedandtakenover.Todealwiththesekindofinvadersthesecondsolutionis
thebestapproach.Thespeciesneedtobemonitoredsothatinvasivespeciesthatcomeinby

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stowingawaycannottakeover.Whilebeingmonitoredifevidenceshowstheyarebeginningto
takeoverquickactionsmustbetakentoeradicatethespeciesinthethatarea.Eradication
techniquescanbecaptureandrelease,pesticides(ifinacontrolledarea),orthetemporary
introductionandclosemonitoringofanaturalpredator(highrisksolution).Thefinalstepof
introducinganaturalpredatormayseemcounterproductivebutbyintroducinganaturalpredator
totheinvasivespeciesyouarerestoringsomebalancetothefoodchain.Thebiggestissuewith
allofthesesolutionsisthecostittakestoperformthem.Thelongeraninvasivespeciesis
aroundthecostofcontrollingkeepsincreasingasdemonstratedingraph2.Despiteallofthe
negativeimpactstakeoversbyinvasivespeciescausetherearesomepeoplewhobelieveitwould
begoodtoletinvasivespeciesin.
Thestandpointofsomepeopleisthatnotallinvasivespecieswreakhavoc.They
suggeststhatsomespeciesaremovedtoanewareabecausetheiroriginalhomethreatensthem
andtheyhavebecomeendangered(Marris,2014).Tosendtheseanimalsbackistoputthemin
asituationwheretheycaneasilybecomeextinct.Peoplewhotakethispositionstatethatthey
caremorethatspeciesexistthanthattheystaywherethey'resupposedtobe.(Marris,2014)
Otherviewpointslookatthefactthatsomeinvasivespeciesarebeneficialtoenvironments.
Despitethisbeingtruethough,Anypositiveeffectaninvasivespeciesmighthaveinan
ecosystemcaneasilybeoutweighedbythedamageitcauses.(PacificNorthwestResearch
Station,2015)
Allthingsconsideredinvasivespeciescausetoomuchdamagetobeoverlooked.
Takeoversmustbeprevented.Therearespecialconditionstothis.Invasivespeciesthatare
endangeredorthreatenedshouldnotbepreventedfromcomingtoliveinAmerica,butrather

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theyshouldverycloselymonitoredandcontrolledastopreventthemfromdisplacingnatural
inhabitantsandcausingthemtobecomeendangered.ThestaffhereatDISTOPIAbelieveinthe
preservationofAmericanhabitats,SpeciesnativetoAmerica,butalsothepreservationof
speciesatriskofbecomingextinct.

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Figures
Map1

(ArchiveNews:AquaticInvasiveSpeciesActwillhelpprotectN.M.waters,2009)
Image1

(MusingonBeaverCreekMarsh,2010)

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Graph1

(WhatIsBeingDone)
Image2

(Alligator)

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Image3

(Africanrockpythonphoto)
Graph2

(Rodgers,2013)

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WorksCited
Africanrockpythonphoto.(n.d.).RetrievedMay16,2016,from
http://www.arkive.org/africanrockpython/pythonsebae/imageG34210.html
Alligator.(n.d.).RetrievedMay16,2016,fromhttp://www.marathonbooks.com/Alligator.html
ArchiveNews:AquaticInvasiveSpeciesActwillhelpprotectN.M.waters.(2009,April6).
RetrievedMay16,2016,from
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/legacy/publications/press_releases/documents/2009/0406
09ais.html
Burdyshaw,C.(2011).FullTitleName:DetailedDiscussionoftheLawsConcerningInvasive
Species.RetrievedMay16,2016,from
https://www.animallaw.info/article/detaileddiscussionlawsconcerninginvasivespecies
Fears,D.(2015,February23).Thedirtydozen:12ofthemostdestructiveinvasiveanimalsin
theUnitedStates.RetrievedMay16,2016,from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energyenvironment/wp/2015/02/23/likemostin
vasivespeciespythonsareintheustostay/
InvasiveSpeciesNationalWildlifeFederation.(n.d.).RetrievedMay16,2016,from
https://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/ThreatstoWildlife/InvasiveSpecies.aspx
Marris,E.(2014,July24).Opinion:It'sTimetoStopThinkingThatAllNonNativeSpeciesAre
Evil.RetrievedMay16,2016,from
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/07/140724invasivespeciesconservation
biologyextinctionclimatescience/
MusingonBeaverCreekMarsh.(2010,February3).RetrievedMay16,2016,from

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http://beavercreekmarsh.blogspot.com/2010/02/nutriainmarsh.html
NationalInvasiveSpeciesCouncil.(2015).RetrievedMay16,2016,from
https://www.doi.gov/invasivespecies/
PacificNorthwestResearchStation.(2015,April29).RetrievedMay16,2016,from
http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/invasives/
Rafferty,J.P.(2015,November25).Invasivespecies.RetrievedMay16,2016,from
http://www.britannica.com/science/invasivespecies
Rodgers,L.(2013).GeneralInvasiveSpeciesInformationNorthAmericanInvasiveSpecies
Network.RetrievedMay16,2016,fromhttp://www.naisn.org/information/
Westbrooks,R.,Dr.,&Brabson,B.(n.d.).
InvasiveSpeciesComingtoAmerica.ByLand,
Sea,andAir..
[MicrosoftdocumentsavedinPDFformatontheURL
http://www.issg.org/issg_map/pdf/americas_north.pdf].
WhatIsBeingDone.(n.d.).RetrievedMay16,2016,from
http://theinvasivewhiteperch.weebly.com/whatisbeingdone.html
WhatWeDotoStopInvasiveSpeciesNationalWildlifeFederation.(n.d.).RetrievedMay16,
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