1. Habitat Fragmentation & Invasive Species 1st 9 Weeks Science Enrichment

2. What are Invasive Species?
Invasive alien species are organisms that are introduced to a given area outside their original range and cause harm in their new home. Because they have no natural enemies to limit their reproduction, they usually spread rampantly. Invasive alien species are recognized as one of the leading threats to biodiversity and impose enormous costs to agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and other human enterprises, as well as to human health.

3. Invasive Species
Invasive species typically have a competitive advantage over native plants
No natural predator or grazer in new habitat
Noxious or produce allelopathic chemicals that natives have not evolved a defense against
High reproductive rate, good in almost any environment

4. Biodiversity
Bio means “life”
Diverse means “different types”.

5. 5 Major Threats to Biodiversity
H-Habitat Destruction/Degradation
I-Invasive Species
P-Pollution
P-Population (Human) Growth
O-Overharvesting/Overfishing

6. What are the results of habitat fragmentation?
Less habitat for species
Species area curve
Restricted migration of species
Restricted gene flow, inbreeding within patches
Increased diseases or accidental death
More edge habitat
Microclimate differs at the edge

7. Conservation Biology and Management

8. What’s It Like Living on the Edge?
Interior
UP/Down?
Up/Down?
Sunlight
Canopy
Wind
Soil Temp.
Air Temperature
Human Disturbance

9. Management Issue
Example: A school would like to put a path through a wooded area, which design would have the least impact on wildlife that use the woods?

10. Top 14 KY Invasive Species
Bush honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)
Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei)
Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora)
Kudzu (Peuraria lobata)
Musk-thistle (Carduus nutans)
Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum)
Sudden oak death (Phytophthora ramorum)
Hemlock wooly adelgid (Adelges tsugae)
Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepnse)
Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.)
Fire ant (Solenopsis invicta)
Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis)

11. Bush Honeysuckle
This is very abundant in the urban/suburban environment.
Woody, hollow stems, have an overall fountain appearance.
Opposite leaves, fragrant flowers, red berries.
May be mistaken for the Spice Bush or Burning Bush

12. Japanese Honeysuckle Vine with a cord-like stem Opposite leaves
Fragrant flowers in Spring
May be confused with Vinca or Winter creeper (next slide)

13. Wintercreeper, Euonymous
Ground Cover
Dark green, almost waxy-like opposite leaves
Can climb
Green through winter

14. Tree-of-Heaven, Ailanthus
Compound leaf
Opposite leaflets
Male leaves smell like old peanut butter
Have glands along leaf margin
Very similar to
Walnut trees

15. Multiflora Rose Usually a white rose Thorns on a round stem
Shrub, blooms early summer
Similar to blackberries (stem with edges, and smaller thorns)

16. Poison Hemlock White umbel flower Smooth stem with purple blotches
Carrot-like, frilly leaf
May be confused with Wild Carrot, Wild Parsnip

17. Garlic Mustard Small white flowers
Young plants (with cotyledons only) look different from the adult plants
Spring flowers in late April through May
Toothed leaves with purplish stems in summer
Seed pods in early summer

18. Musk-Thistle
Purple flowers in early summer, fuzzy seeds in late summer
Hairy, toothed leaves with needle-like points

19. Johnson Grass Panic grass Reddish, purple inflorescence
Blooms in late June/July
Distinctive stripe/ridge on blade
Looks similar to corn

20. Kudzu Vine with a heart/mitten-shaped leaf
Dieback can be evident through winter in a large patch
Very noticeable in summer

21. Queen Anne’s Lace
Seeds used as a contraceptive in Europe