200767767 Elizabeth Audrey

Clemente
AN ALIEN SPECIES WHOSE ESTABLISHMENT AND SPREAD
THREATEN ECOSYSTEMS, HABITATS OR SPECIES WITH
ECONOMIC OR ENVIRONMENTAL HARM.
 Alien Species

S species, subspecies or lower taxon, introduced

outside its natural past or present distribution;
includes any part, gametes, seeds, eggs, or
propagules of such species that might survive and
subsequently reproduce
S not all alien species (also known exotic, non-
indigenous, or non-native species) are invasive
S may be harmless and beneficial in their natural
surroundings, but can totally devastate different
environments; worldwide introduction of alien species
have exacted serious problems in their respective host
ecosystems, such harmful alien species are
bioinvasive species
What makes bioinvasion different?

"Because it brings the intelligence of evolution to

bear, bioinvasion is a kind of 'smart' pollution.
Compared to living things, chemical spills are
'dumb‘– they are inert, they cannot reproduce and
they tend to dissipate over time. But when an exotic
species establishes a beachhead, it can proliferate
over time and spread to new areas. It can also
adapt—it tends to get better and better at
exploiting an area's resources, and at suppressing
native species." — Chris Bright
 For an alien species to become invasive, it
must arrive, survive and thrive.
Successful Species Unsuccessful Species

a.) Large native range a.) Small native range

b.) Abundant in original range b.) Rare in original variability

c.) High genetic variability c.) Low genetic variability

d.) Associated with humans d.) Not associated with humans

e.) Female able to colonize alone e.) Female alone unable to colonize

f.) Gregarious f.) Solitary

g.) Vagile (able to move freely) g.) Sedentary

h.) Broad diet h.) Restricted diet

i.) Short generation time

j.) Shift between r and k strategies

How do they arrive and
proliferate?

When an invasive species enters a new habitat

unaccompanied by its natural enemies, it often
benefits from "ecological release" that allows the
species to reach much higher population densities
than would occur in its natural range where it is
constrained by various predators and competitors.
Example: Climate Change
 Simplicity to produce, versatility, undemanding
feed requirements, fast growth rate, relatively
deliberate higher resistance to disease among others,
available throughout the year
introductions
Increase fish production to obtain a cheap source
crop plants of protein
Gain in foreign exchange through export
farm animals Improve socio-economic conditions of small-scale
fishermen
fish and shrimp for
Increase livelihood and employment
aquaculture opportunities for rural populations
decorative plants
Overcrowding, stunting, high organic loading
pets Endangers the world's smallest
freshwater
biological control fish, the dwarf goby (Pandaka pygmaea
organisms Consumes zooplankton, phytoplankton,
and algae resulting to damage in
the ecosystem as well as
eradicates
cichlids causing
internal erosion in lakes
 Development Assistance & Biofuels
development

Parthenium weed through Biofuel production,

cereal grain shipments for particularly for biodiesel:
famine relief to Ethiopia bamboo, false flax,
Post-disaster recovery and canola, Barbados nut,
restoration efforts also coconut, horseradish tree
require long-term and castor oil bush.
monitoring given the
frequent use of hardy,
fast-growing species to
stabilize/re-establish
coastal areas and tree Given that food security priorities
cover frequently take precedence of environmental
issues, the current and potential impacts of alien
species
are typically either overlooked or ignored
Eugene Schieffelin
(New York, 1890)
 Planned to import every species of
bird mentioned in the plays of English
dramatist William Shakespeare
 European starlings (referred to in
Henry IV)
 Within 50 years, starlings had
colonized the entire North American
continent. Starlings roost in raucous
flocks of up to hundreds of thousands:
soiling pavement, damaging buildings,
and fouling parks and playgrounds.
Occasionally their droppings spread
disease. These also strip grain, fruit,
and vegetable crops and consume
feed spread for livestock. Further,
these aggressive invaders drive out
native bird species, particularly
bluebirds, flickers, martins, and wrens
Ornamental exotic
plants and animals
 Used for large scale landscape
architecture or now, purchased
through eBay! or the internet,
 May increase the diversity of
species locally; but, then the
introduced species can take
over, crowd out or kill the native
indigenous species, and in some
cases cause extinctions of
particular species of plants and
animals.
 Just in Mt. Makiling, one can see
the invasive vine, Skyflower
smother other trees’ canopies,
blocking sunlight and even air.
 Accidental introductions

 contamination with
various trade commodities
 ship ballast which daily
transfer millions of
aquatic organisms
throughout the world
 airline passengers, cargo
and the aircraft
themselves
 military aviation should
also be regarded as
potentially a larger threat
given the hurried and
frequently unregulated
movement of equipment
and personnel across a
wide range of habitats
 What are their Effects?

 Outcompete natives—for nutrients, light, or water in the

case of plants, or for food, shelter, or nesting sites
among animals
 Alter the local environment that the site is no longer
suitable for the natives
 Crossbreed with native species, thus damaging native
populations through genetic invasion
 Change the nature of the ecological processes that
provide clean air, pure water, fertile soil, natural pest
and disease controls—processes often referred to as
ecological life support services.
Threatening Food Security
S Weeds – parthenium
S Crop viruses – whitefly
S Insect pests – white cassava
mealybug and larger grain borer
S Introduction of Argentine golden
apple snail into Asia for culture
as a high-protein food source for
domestic consumption, as well
as for export. The species soon
made its way to rice fields,
where the animals voraciously
consumed young rice plants. By
1990, the costs of snail invasion
in the Philippines alone were
between US$425-1,200 million,
excluding non-market damages
to human health and
ecosystems which reduced the
efficiency of rice production.
Economic Costs
S Losses to crops, pastures and
forests, unemployment, damaged
goods and equipment, power
failures, food and water shortages,
increased rates and severity of
natural disasters, disease
epidemics, and even lost lives
S CONSERVATIVELY estimated to be in
the hundreds of billions of dollars
S Does not include valuation of
species extinctions, losses in
biodiversity, ecosystem services
and aesthetics
S Examples: Asian Papaya Fruitfly,
Nonnative rats, Asian Longhorned
Beetle
second greatest
threat to biological
diversity

contributes to
habitat loss

90% of all animals

that have become
extinct since 1800
were island birds,
and 90% of these
fell victim to
invasive species

directly threatened
by predators such as
rats, cats and Global Homogenization:
mongooses
Threat to Biodiversity
indirectly, by loss of
habitat and food
such as by
Risk to Human Health
 Bubonic plague – invasive
species of rat
 1991. First cholera epidemic in
the western hemisphere in
more than 100 years,
sickening 1 million people and
killing 10,000.
 Asian tiger mosquito through
shipments – a series of
encephalitis, yellow fever, and
dengue fever.
 To note, $6.5 billion a year
accounts for medical care and
lost wages and productivity
due to human diseases caused
by nonnative species.
Ecological Impacts
 Disturbing the operation of the
hydrological cycle, flood
control and water supply,
waste assimilation, recycling
of nutrients, conservation and
regeneration of soils,
pollination of crops, and seed
dispersal
 Dams – increased
sedimentation or change in
water levels
 South African Cape Floral
Kingdom. Loss of 30 percent of
the region's water supply,
increased fire hazards, and
threatens native biodiversity.
What The World Is Doing

Early detection, assessment, prevention and control

are the measures undertaken to manage the problem
of invasives.

Article 8(h), Convention on Biological Diversity

"to prevent the introduction of, control or eradicate
those alien species which threaten ecosystems,
habitats, or species"
worst aquatic weeds in
the world, growing so
rapidly they double in
12 days - and seeds
can survive for 30
years

become so dense they

prevent sunlight and
oxygen from reaching
water and submerged
plants, crowd out other
native aquatic plants

block waterways,
cause rivers and
streams to change
course, and interfere
with boating,
swimming and fishing eradication: water hyacinth
decline in fish species
and reduced water
levels which brought
on notable local
From a
destructive weed
to a useful and
beneficial plant:
Natural water
purification
Fertilizer
Energy producer
Animal feed

Extinction is irreversible, but there is

a growing realization that biological
invasions themselves can sometimes
be reversed.
Every alien species needs to be considered
potentially invasive, until convincing
evidence indicates that it presents no such
threat

Mechanical Control
Chemical Control
Biological Control
Habitat Management
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Gender-bending Chemicals
Eradication is often a large, uncontrolled
experiment, and we should expect
unforeseen outcomes

Controlling problem species often requires

application of pesticides and mechanical controls
that are harmful to non-target species
The development of pesticide-resistant strains of
pests, diseases and weeds may reduce the
effectiveness of the chemical management
option for their control
The species used for biological control may in
turn become invasive