Warm-up 2/21/12: What is the difference Biomagnification Bioaccumulation Get out your Projects!

Essential Question What happens when humans introduce a new species into an area?

A MODERN-DAY CAUSE OF COMPETITION AND EXTINCTION NON-NATIVE SPECIES A MODERN-DAY CAUSE OF COMPETITION AND EXTINCTION

What Are Native Species? Native species are those that normally live and thrive in a particular community. They occupy specific habitats and have specific niches in their native environment. They have natural predators that help to keep their populations in check.

What Are Non-Native Species? Species that migrate into an ecosystem or are deliberately or accidentally introduced into an ecosystem by humans.

What are Invasive Species? A species introduced into an environment that is able to outcompete and displace the native species http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9cmARsp-BE&feature=related

Africanized Honeybee (Killer Bees) 1957 African honey be crossed with native honey bee to produce an overly aggressive bee in Brazil which escaped. Displaced the native honeybee through competitive exclusion and migrated northward at a rate of 200 miles per year. Northward migratory rate slowing down due to climate (frost). Will global warming allow their migration to move northward over time? Problems: They are so aggressive, they not only out-compete native bee populations, but pose great health threats to humans.

Geographic Distribution of Africanized Honey Bees in USA

Fire Ants Late 1930’s introduced by accident in Alabama in shiploads of lumber and cargo. Interspecific competition reduced native ant species by 90%! Fire ants are very aggressive and through direct combat reduced native species. Since there are no natural predators, they produced more colonies than native ants and increased their population density significantly in south.

Fire Ants Interference Competition – fire ants consumed food and invaded habitat of native ant species (competitive exclusion principle). They release sulfuric acid when they bite and can kill deer fawn, lizards, birds, livestock, pets, and human babies. Fire ants have invaded trucks and caused roadside accidents when drivers have been attacked. Chew through underground cables and disrupt electric and phone service and have started electrical fires in the south.

Fire Ants They are pesticide resistant (Directional Natural Selection of r-strategists) USDA (US Department of Agriculture) has introduced a non-native parasitic fly that deposits eggs on the fire ants. When the larvae develop, they eat the heads of the fire ant. CHAOS! $$$$$$$$

Fire Ant Distribution in the USA (Degrees Celsius)

What does the Competitive Exclusion Principle Say? No two species can occupy the same “niche” at the same time. A “niche” is the role an organism plays in the Ecosystem. (It’s job!)

Article Jig Saw Each group will do a case study on a different invasive species. Job 1- read the article aloud- highlight important information Job 2- fill in the graphic organizer with information concerning your invasive Job 3- Take Cornell Notes on your article Job 4- Make note cards about your article Job 5- Create a graphical representation of your article

Important Information Country of Origin Current Distribution Method of introduction Native Species it is affecting Method of control