Plagues and Swarms Invasive Species Ecology

Invasive Species Invasive species are defined as non-native exotic organisms whose introduction to new areas may result in harmful effects on human and environmental health and economic costs Invasive species are one of the most important threats to biodiversity Approximately 50,000 invasive species in the USA Nearly 5,000 plant species 10,000 person hours in Smoky Mountain National Park (http://www.invasive.org/eastern/) Emerald Ash Borer Water Hyacinth Emerald Ash Borer Zebra Mussel European Starling

Invasion Ecology: General Questions - How are species able to dominate the habitats they invade? - What impacts do invasive species have on species diversity and ecosystem processes? - What determines the invasibility of habitats?

Invasive species impacts Based on a 2005 Lexington, Kentucky, street tree survey- it is estimated that there are more than 10,000 ash trees in the Urban Service Area (LFUCG 2007). The ash component of Louisville Kentucky's tree population is 17%. buprestid http://www.emeraldashborer.info/

Asian carp

Invasive species impacts (critters) European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus coniculus) Invasive in Australia Causes damage to the environment and agricultural operations Difficult to control because native predators now rely on the feral rabbit as a food resource http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/ferals/index.html

Invasive species impacts (critters) Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) Native in Australia and Indonesia Invasive in Hawai’i Preys on native lizards and birds Causes major power outages because it climbs on electrical wires http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/animals/bts.shtml

Invasive species impacts (critters) Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) Native in Europe and Asia http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/fact/zebra.htm

Invasive species impacts (critters) Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) Native in Europe and Asia

Invasive species impacts (critters) Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) Native in Europe and Asia

Invasive species impacts (critters) Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) Native in Europe and Asia Extremly successful in filter feeding Decrease food available for other aquatic organisms Makes the water clear Increase in aquatic plant production and blue-green algae Clogs drainage pipes Approx. $5 billion in damages to the Great Lakes http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/fact/zebra.htm

Invasive species impacts (critters) Rusty Crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/ais/rustycrayfish_invader

Invasive species impacts (plants) Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) Native to China Allelochemical properties and a distinct small Invasive throughout the USA Oak-hickory and Maple-birch forests Early successional species http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/ailalt/all.html#SuccessionalStatus

Invasive species impacts (critters) Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) Native to China and surrounding Asian region Introduced to the USA in 1896 (Luken, J. O. and J. W. Thieret 1995) Flower of L. maackii Photos: Ryan W. McEwan Fruit of L. maackii

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=loma6

Invasive species impacts (critters) Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) Native to China and surrounding Asian region Introduced to the USA in 1896 (Luken, J. O. and J. W. Thieret 1995) Suite of invasive characteristics (Gorchov and Trisel 2003; Hutchinson and Vankat 1997; McEwan et al. 2009) Successful in disturbed and edge habitats Black Oak Park in summer

Invasive species impacts (critters) Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) Native to China and surrounding Asian region Introduced to the USA in 1896 (Luken, J. O. and J. W. Thieret 1995) Suite of invasive characteristics (Gorchov and Trisel 2003; Hutchinson and Vankat 1997; McEwan et al. 2009) Successful in disturbed and edge habitats Has a long growing season Allelopathic capabilities Herbs (Dorning and Cipollini 2006; Cipollini et al. 2008) Insects (Cipollini et al. 2008; McEwan et al. 2009)

Invasive species impacts (insects) Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anophlophora glabripennis) Native to China, Japan, and Korea Invasive in NY, NJ, and PA Larva eat away at woody tissue of many types of hardwood trees Estimated costs of approx. $3.5 billion USD/year http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/invasion_bio/inv_spp_summ/Anoplophora%20glabripennis.html

Invasive species impacts (insects) Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) Native to eastern Russia, China, Japan, and Korea Specialist invasive Invasive throughout the northern parts of the Midwest and East coast of the USA and Canada Larva eat at the woody tissue of Ash trees http://www.emeraldashborer.info/

Invasive species impacts (fungi) At the end of the 1800s: - American chestnut was found throughout much of the Eastern Deciduous Forest. Chestnut was among the largest of eastern trees. Pure stands were common (> 80 % Basal Area in some stands) Range of American chestnut From: Paillet and Rutter (1989)

Photos from The Canadian Chestnut Council: - In 1904, chestnuts in the New York area began exhibiting a previously unknown canker. - This disease, caused by the fungal pathogen Cryphonectria parasitica, spread throughout the native range of the American chestnut. - By 1960, chestnut had been rendered functionally extinct as a canopy tree throughout its native range.