sandy - 2:27 pm on Dec. 23, 2000
Exotic plants will eventually destroy native habitats and disrupt food chains. Rogue algae in California is a good example. This algae is native to the Mediterranean and it has recently been introduced by hobbyists dumping aquarium water into the local waters near San Diego. Scientists tried to eradicate it but it is so resilient it is now everywhere in Hungtington Harbor. It has started to smother seafloor communities. Introduced species are responsible for many recorded extinctions, especially on islands or isolated exosystems such as Australia. A new predator, competitor, or pathogen can rapidly imperil species that did not co-evolve. In Hawaii, some 86 plant specie seriously threaten native biodiverity; one introduced tree species has not displaced more than 30,000 acres of native trees.
thinker - 1:55 pm on Dec. 23, 2000
THE AUSTRALLIAN PINE WILL ONLY BECOME A
remo - 10:55 pm on Dec. 12, 2000
I have heard arguments for and against the Australian Pine colonization of Southwest Florida, i.e. since the pines have already invaded and taken over they have become native species and provide valuable habitat for species... is there a point where a non-native becomes "new-native"?
"NEW NATIVE" WHEN WE GIVE UP THE BATTLE
TO CONTAIN THIS VERY AGGRESSIVE TREE WITH
VERY SHALLOW ROOTS. THEY REDUCE BIODIVERSITY
WITHOUT ANY SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS. HOWEVER,
EVEN IF THERE WERE POSITIVE BENEFITS, THEY
WOULD STILL REDUCE BIODIVERSITY AND A
HUMAN-JUDGEMENT REQURIED BEFORE ACTION IS
TAKEN.