Written by Shaundrie Jones
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Invasive species are organisms that are introduced into a non-native ecosystem and which cause, or are likely to cause, harm to the economy, environment or human health.
Invaders in Our Land
Tiger ShrimpRecently non-native Asian tiger shrimp have been spotted off the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Governmental scientists are working diligently to understand the reason for the increase and the possible consequences for native marine animals in those waters. The non-native shrimp species could have escaped from aquaculture facilities, transported from ships or floating in ocean currents from wild populations in the Caribbean or other locations.
These crustaceans can measure up to 13 inches long and weigh nearly a pound, with dark and white stripes circling their bodies. They can be very disruptive to the Gulf's ecosystem, says James Morris, a marine ecologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research in Beaufort, N.C. Like most other shrimp, the jumbo prawns are cannibalistic (to eat other animals), Morris says, and because of their size, they can gobble up many of their smaller Gulf cousins and their larvae. They compete for the native shrimp's food supply and spread through their environs, disrupting the eco-balance. Tiger shrimp spawn between 50,000 and 1 million eggs a cycle, he says. Testing will determine whether the tiger shrimp are in the early stages of a population boom. |
Burmese PythonAccording to the U.S. Geological Survey, mid-sized mammals in Everglades National Park are getting a big squeeze from invasive Burmese pythons, according to a USGS co-authored study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. These pythons, large constricting snakes native to Asia that can reach more than 20 feet in length and upwards of 200 pounds, are now found throughout much of southern Florida, including all of Everglades National Park. Since the recognition 11 years ago that these invasive, exotic snakes were breeding in the park, formerly common mammals there have declined dramatically.
Burmese pythons have traits that increased their risk of establishment and that make their eradication difficult. Specifically, Burmese pythons:
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How You Can Help
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