Invasive species

This article is part of the Living together theme Alternative economy Degrowth Alternative societies Social Politics Communication Environment Renewable energy Naturism

The notion of invasive species is directly linked to Man's interaction with the environment since he is at the origin of the displacement of species... Whether it be vegetal or animal species, Man imports species into a different biotope according to his needs.

Contents 1 Description 2 See also 2.1 References 2.2 Internal links 2.3 External links

[edit] Description

An organism is considered as an invasive species when it is introduced as an alien species and did'nt exist in this new place. Quite often the environment won't be appropriate for the migrant organism to survive, it will simply die out. But sometimes the invasive species (or alien species) adapts well and thrives, it the becomes an active agent in this new milieu, it may even fare better than the endemic species (or native species), compete with them and annihilate them altogether.

Some examples of prolifération : rabbits and dogs (dingo) in Australia, the red-eared slider (turtle from Florida), alguae such as the taxifolia in the Mediterranean Sea. In some cases, the consequences are utterly desastrous and the whole ecosystem is destroyed as Lake Victoria where the Nile perch exterminated the local fauna.

Invasive species are a real serious issue... Whether they're introduced on purpose for biological fights or unvoluntarily (because of international shipping) they harm the environment where they're imported. Sure it's a case of adaptation and of evolution or selection but Man cannot benefit from the destruction of biodiversity.

Typical examples are Wasmannia auropunctata (Rainforests) ^[2] and Fallopia japonica (Europe). ^[3]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

1. ↑ 100 of the world’s worst invasive alien species _ Global Iivasive Species Database (GISP)
2. ↑ Wasmannia auropunctata (electric ant) on Wikipedia
3. ↑ Fallopia japonica (Japanese Knotweed) on Wikipedia

[edit] Internal links

• Extinction
• Darwin's Nightmare the example of the Nile perch
• Ecosystem
• Biodiversity

[edit] External links

• The Global Invasive Species Database (GISD)

Category:Environmentalism