Invasive Species

Monday, March 14th, 2011Invasive Species1Invasive speciesnon-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.

Non-nativeIntroduced via vectorEstablished populationsHarm caused2Invasive speciesA disturbance may be required to allow a population to go from an invading propagule to a locally sustaining populationChinese Mitten CrabsDamaged ecosystems more susceptible to invasion1998 bleaching event killed 80-90% of the coral reefs in the Seychelles, leaving them more vulnerable to invasions (IUCN.org)3 out of 330 spp. were introduced

3Hot spots

http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/invasive-species-in-the-marine-environment-problem-regionsIn areas subjected to the worst pollution, the most intensive fisheries and bottom trawling, and major shipping routes4

Rtrcwma.org

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In 1999, it was estimated that the total cost of managing invasive species in the United States was around $120 billion per year (Pimentel et al. 2004)

7Characteristics of successful invadersLarge home rangeEcological generalistsHigh invasion frequencyHigh larvae dispersal

8Marine Fish invadersRare