Invasive Species Cause Biodiversity Loss Invasive species are

Invasive Species Cause Biodiversity Loss • Invasive species are any non-native organism that spread outside their normal distribution and threaten biodiversity by outcompeting native organisms. • Invasive species occur in all taxonomic groups. • Invasive species are responsible for over 40% of all extinct species since the 1700’s. • The US economic cost associated with invasive species is well over $100 billion. What is the Convention? Signed by 150 government leaders at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the Convention on Biological Diversity is dedicated to promoting sustainable development.

How Are They Introduced ? Some Intentionally Erosion Control – ex. Kudzu Food crops – ex. Pineapples in Hawaii Most Accidently Exotic Pet Trade – Bermese pythons in FL everglades Ballast water – zebra mussels Shipping Crates – sub formosan termites

More Examples of Invasive Species • Native to the Indian sub-continent, the ship rat (Rattus rattus) have caused extinctions and catastrophic declines of native birds on islands and have spread throughout the world. (case study) • Native to the Amazon basin, water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) has invaded tropical habitats worldwide spreading to more than 50 countries on five continents. Water hyacinth blocks waterways, decimates aquatic wildlife and the livelihoods of local people and creates ideal conditions for disease and its vectors. (video clip)

Georgia Invasive Species GYPSY MOTH

• Extinctions are not only a natural part of the earth’s history, but are vital for opening niches and initiating diversity. • However, we are currently in an alarming rate of global extinction of organisms due to human interactions – such as habitat fragmentation, introducing invasive species, and over harvesting (including hunting) Information on endangered species in the following slides taken from: http: //www. iucnredlist. org/

Hawksbill Sea Turtle Black Rhino Giant Panda Some Classics Tigers Gorillas Bald Eagles

Harlequin Toad - Costa Rica & Brazil (thought to be extinct in the 80’s but found again in early 90’s) Verreaux’s Safaka Lemur - Madacascar. Habitat destruction - timber companies, charcoal production Largetooth Sawfish Indo West Pacific. Hunted as prize catch and entanglement in drift nets (by-catch) Pinwheel Snail - South Africa. Lives in urban location. Habitat destruction

Channel Island Fox - CA, USA Disease - virus Crocodile Newt - China “Threatened” - popular Chinese Med. & exotic pet trades Magnifica Vine Ecuador habitat destruction for charcoal production Slender Loris - Sri Lanka Habitat Destruction deforestation Short beaked common dolphin - PCB poisoning, bycatch Gray Whale N. W Pacific Only 50 left. Hunted to almost extinction

California Condor Gymnogyps californianus Status: Endangered, except where there is an experimental population (specific portions of Arizona, Nevada and Utah) Captive Breeding Ecosystem – won’t support many Scarce food & land

Risk factors: The number one cause of death of adult cranes is collisions with power lines during migration. Other factors include industrial, agricultural and recreational developments which encroach on wintering and migration rest areas. Conservation efforts since 1938 have resulted in a slow increase. Including those in captivity, and 25 cranes in two other wild populations, there are now 320 whooping cranes in the world.

ORGANISMS IN DANGER 1) Require large amounts of space or food 2) Reproduce slowly 3) Specialists (food) WHAT ARE WE DOING? ? 1) Poaching, hunting, overfishing 2) Destruction of habitats!!! 3) Introduction of alien species 4) Pollution