Invasive Nature In Global Warming

Invasive species are among the top threats to wildlife and the environment. Additionally, the climate crisis forces the migration of many species of flora and fauna around the world, contributing to this crisis.

In The United States, approximately 42 percent of threatened or endangered species are at risk from invasive species. Invasive species include animals, plants, and microorganisms.

The threat revolves around the species growing and reproducing rapidly, spreading aggressively, giving them the potential to cause potential damage, hence their name, "invasives."

Image 1: The mountain goat is an invasive species in northern Wyoming.

When these invasive species reach other territories that are not their habitats, they reproduce rapidly and often adapt to this site, further increasing their reproductive capacities; consequently, there is overpopulation and eradication of the native species of the zone. Although not everything is destruction, it could also bring solutions, which I will discuss later.

Invasive species can reach alien territories in various ways, through human activities, often unintentionally. For example, an accidental release such as insects inside a suitcase or seeds in clothes, but more often it occurs by intentional transport caused by people. Simultaneously, environmental conditions can allow the species to escape the wild and become invasive in foreign territories.

The hostility caused by invasive species is due to the potential increase in the variety of disease-carrying insects, such as mosquitoes and pests for plant crops. For this reason, it is one of the principal causes of biodiversity loss and species extinction, and it is also a threat to food security and livelihoods.

Invasive species are capable of causing extinctions of native plants and animals; Reducing biodiversity, competing with native organisms for limited resources, and altering habitats.

When a new aggressive species gets into an outsider ecosystem, it likely has no predators or natural controls. It can reproduce and spread rapidly, occupying a vast area, often increasing.

For example, rats, already distributed throughout the world, are frequently identified with a catastrophic decline in birds on islands and transmit disease, bacteria, and pests freely in all world areas. Another example is the Asian hornet, which colonized France and has now been seen in the UK pose a serious risk to public health.

Image 2: Birds have to change their patterns, behavior, and habitats due to climate change.

Even trying to get rid of them can only make things worse. For example, invasive plants often do better in disturbed terrain; pulling them out of the ground and leaving more bare soil results in more land for their seeds to drop, which is counterproductive.

It has used to coexist invasive species with other species that are more controllable through biological control, which is the intentional manipulation of natural enemies by humans to control pests.

But not everything seems to be a drawback; in some cases, they can increase benefits to ecosystems. On Île aux Aigrettes, an island off the coast of Mauritius, the introduction of invasive Aldabra tortoises helped restore the native ecosystem by replacing the native giant tortoises that became extinct. An approach that leads to achieving to fulfill the exercises of the previous species in terms of dispersal service of seeds that encourage tree growth and provide habitat and food for local native birds.

Although the new introduction of an exotic species to an island is easier to control, other cases have contributed to ecosystem services. For example, the usual rabbit in the UK seems to contribute positively to biodiversity through grazing limestone lowlands, which provide suitable habitat for rare butterflies and insects.

However, Professor David Simberloff of the University of Tennessee says it was "wrong and would hamper our ability to achieve international conservation and development goals." He argues that while the non-native species establishment in an ecosystem may initially contribute positively to ecosystem services and biodiversity, it may take years or decades to determine its full effect on the ecosystem. But by then, it would be too late to remove them.

Image 3: Invasive Aldabra tortoises replaced extinct native tortoises.

Influence of climate change

Climate change facilitates the spread and establishment of many alien species and creates new opportunities for them to become invasive

Higher average temperatures and changes in rain and snow patterns caused by climate change allow some invasive plant and animal species to move to new areas. Some of these cases are kudzu, loosestrife, and garlic mustard.

As temperatures rise with climate change, species have to migrate to higher latitudes or altitudes to find better conditions that support their survival.

As more species migrate to colder environments to survive, they are displaced to avoid extinction. Even some migratory birds have already changed their travel routes.

However, for some species, changes in climatic zones are a definite problem, migration is not a solution. In alpine environments, plants move to higher altitudes as temperatures get warmer. But eventually, they will run out of room to migrate and be outgrown as conditions favor lower altitude plants.

Similarly, throughout the boreal forest, climate zones move north ten times faster than trees can migrate, meaning that temperature change and competition from more temperate plants will make them vulnerable to extinction.

Image 4: Bering Strait connects Asia with North America, Russia's Left, and Alsaka on the right.

Ice melting in the polar oceans allows the generation of new transport routes where animals and plants can enter. For example, in Alaska and the border with Russia, the thaw causes a way that connects Asia directly with the east coast of the United States, allowing the exchange between species.

The exaggerated weather events associated with climate change create environmental disturbances, giving them an opportunity for invasive species to enter and establish themselves.

The movement of species between alien environments even can create better conditions than in their native places. The reports indicate cases where invasive species develop a better capacity for adaptation, growth, and reproduction in some environments that are most favorable to them.

The impacts of invasive species on our natural ecosystems and our economy cost billions of dollars each year. Invasive species are often considered a low priority or ignored in the political and public spheres. However, many of our commercial, agricultural and recreational activities depend on healthy native ecosystems.

 

References

• Finch, Deborah & Butler, Jack & Runyon, Justin & Fettig, Christopher & Kilkenny, Francis & Jose, Shibu & Frankel, Susan & Cushman, Samuel & Cobb, Richard & Dukes, Jeffrey & Hicke, Jeffrey & Amelon, Sybill. (2021). Effects of Climate Change on Invasive Species. 10.1007/978-3-030-45367-1_4. 

• How Relevant is the ‘Native versus Invasive’ Argument in a Warming World? – Earth Organization. Reagan Pearce. Aug 18th, 2020. Link https://earth.org/how-relevant-is-the-native-vs-invasive-argument-in-warming-world/.

• NWF. The National Wildlife Federation. Invasive Species. Link https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Threats-to-Wildlife/Invasive-Species.

• International Union for Conservation of Nature. IUCN. Invasive alien species and climate change.  February 2021. Link https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/invasive-alien-species-and-climate-change.

• International Union for Conservation of Nature. IUCN. Invasive species. Biodiversity Europe. Link https://www.iucn.org/regions/europe/our-work/biodiversity-conservation/invasive-alien-species.

• BASC. Marta Jacyna. A natural choice?. Link https://basc.org.uk/invasive-species-or-natural-migrants/.

• Ecological Landscaping Alliance. Carrie Brown-Lima. Climate Change and Invasive Species. February 15, 2021. Link https://www.ecolandscaping.org/02/landscape-challenges/climate-change-and-invasive-species/.