Huge, Freed Pet Pythons Invade Florida Everglades!

1. Recent Newspaper Headlines Maryland Wages War on Invasive Walking Fish Huge, Freed Pet Pythons Invade Florida Everglades! Stowaway U.S. Corn Rootworm Eats Its Way Across Europe Chinese Mitten Crab Caught In Chesapeake Waters

2. Brainstorm • What is an INVADER? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ • What is a SPECIES? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. An invasive species is… • a species that does not naturally occur in a specific area • a species that causes or is likely to cause • economic harm, or • environmental harm, or • harm to human health

4. A Serious Problem • Plants and animals that have become established outside their natural range as the result of human activity pose a huge threat to the biodiversity and health of an ecosystem.

5. Once established, the alien species can eat the native species or compete with them for habitat, food, or both.

6. Because they lack natural predators in their new environment, the invaders can… • drive native species to extinction • damage ecosystems • cost billions of dollars a year to eradicate (remove)

7. How Do Invasive Species Get Here? • A majority of the most likely pathways involve humans. • “Stowaway” organisms arrive here inside packing materials. • Microscopic creatures are dumped from ships' ballast water tanks. • Many plants and animals enter the U.S. as part of the booming trade in exotic pets or exotic foods.

8. The Asian Longhorned Beetle • Many imported goods are packed on wood pallets. The wood may contain insects and plant diseases harmful to trees in the U.S. • The Asian Longhorned Beetle is believed to have entered the U.S. in wood pallets from China.

9. The Asian Longhorned Beetle has the ability to destroy most hardwood tree species, such as maple and poplar. • Timber, shade trees, and maple syrup production are all at risk.

10. Ship Ballast Tanks • After crossing an ocean and nearing a U.S. port, ships may release ballast water that has been carried to keep the ship at the maximum performance and safety level. Alarge ship may release millions of gallons of water along with species of plant and animal life not native to that port.

11. Invasive Species Released via Ballast Water • Zebra Mussels can have great impacts on lake & ocean ecosystem. • Eat large portions of the microscopic plants and animals which form the base of the food chain. • Over time, Zebra Mussels feeding behavior can affect a lake's entire ecological balance, causing significant changes in native species populations.

12. Zebra Mussel Impact • Clog water and drain pipes • Cost $5 billion in control efforts • Displaced native freshwater mussels and drastically alter the food web. • Their population continues to grow and no immediate end is foreseen.

13. Release of Exotic Species into the Wild • Burmese pythons are popular, and legal, pet snakes. • Adult snakes – 15 ft. long • Some owners get rid of their pets by dumping them in the forest. • "All of the Burmese pythons that we see in the park are a product of the international pet trade," said Skip Snow, a wildlife biologist at Everglades National Park. A 10-foot, 3-inch Burmese python captured on an access road to Florida's Everglades National Park

14. Plantscan be Invasive Species • Kudzu first arrived here in 1876 as part of the Japanese display garden at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, PA. • Owners of a Florida nursery found that animals liked to eat kudzu, so in the 1920’sthey advertised and sold kudzu as a forage crop. • During the 1930’s, kudzu was recommended to control erosion.

15. So what was the problem? • Kudzu grows almost too well. • During warm summer months, kudzu can grow 1-2 feet each day! • A kudzu plant, in optimal growing conditions, can grow 60+ feet per year. • Kudzu rapidly spread and covered trees, power poles, buildings, etc., destroying plants, causing electrical outages, and becoming an enormous nuisance.

16. In Georgia, the legend saysThat you must close your windowsAt night to keep it out of the house.The glass is tinged with green, even so... From the poem, "Kudzu"

17. How are Invasive Species Detected? • Inspectors at U.S. international portsdetect invasive species of plant and animal pests that might be found in items being brought into the U.S. • High tech scanning machines are used to detect illegal items inside luggage and some cargo. • Inspectors also use trained dogs tosniff luggage to detect food such as fruit, vegetables, meat, and animal products that might contain pests harmful to animals and plants in the U.S. • People who fish and notice something unusual can report it to a park ranger.

18. Project • Research one invasive species and become an expert on it. • Internet resources can be found on my webpage. • Present your findings as a poster or power point. • Refer to the guidelines you received in class. Make sure your project contains ALL required elements. • As always, do your best and most beautiful work. • Due __________________________

19. Resources: • http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/14/g68/newsinvasive.html • Aquatic Nuisance Species in Ballast Water Discharges: Issues and Options http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/ballast_report_attch5.pdf • http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/EXOTICSP/zebra_mussel.htm • http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/06/0603_040603_invasivespecies.html