ECOLOGgers all;
I continue to be fascinated by the theory of invasion biology. Why is it "bad"
when a fly fisherman spreads a microscopic cell of algae to a new water body,
but it's apparently "okay" if a migrating duck spreads it? Why are we so
focused on the human impact of species introductions, as though we are the only
means organisms have of relocating? I honestly want to talk about this. I
think that people's individual perspectives are what drives debates such as
this. Some people believe that human activity is bad, no matter what; yet this
seems to be short-sighted and narrow-minded. There seem to be lots of vectors
for species movement, from storms to migrating creatures.
Also, species adapt and change ~ a population of soapberry bugs, for instance,
adapted its mouthparts over the course of about 40 years to begin eating the
leaves on an introduced goldenrain tree in Florida. Who is to say that an
introduced species won't develop into an important food source for another
species that either it adapts to or that adapts to it?
Taken on a case-by-case basis, are there benefits to the invasive species in
question? Are we focusing on negative effects (or, worse, on PRESUMED negative
effects) because they impact things we humans value?
I get excited by invasion biology theory, because, for me, it raises more
questions than it answers, and many of the questions are about perspective and
values, in addition to those about biological interactions. There is still so
much to observe about invasion biology theory, so much yet to learn!
Respectfully,
Kelly Stettner
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:41:54 -0700
From: Wayne Tyson <landr...@cox.net>
Subject: Fw: Biological control of invasive species by import of alien species
Re: [APWG] NEWS: Invasive Saltcedar Triggers Lively Debate
Ecolog:
Any comments?
WT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne Tyson" <landr...@cox.net>
To: <a...@lists.plantconservation.org>
Sent: Monday, August 24, 2009 10:41 PM
Subject: Biological control of invasive species by import of alien species
Re: [APWG] NEWS: Invasive Saltcedar Triggers Lively Debate
> APWG:
>
> Much as I would like to see the truly invasive "saltcedars" sent back
> where they came from, we're probably stuck with them--they're just too
> seedy.
>
> Much as I would like to see a savior, even in the form of a bug, the
> true-believers ("Now land managers are adding new biological control
> agents to their arsenal by releasing saltcedar leaf beetles (Diorhabda
> elongata) imported from China and Greece. The small insects strip
> saltcedar of its leaves, while ignoring native vegetation."
> http://www.wssa.net/WSSA/PressRoom/WSSA_SaltCedar.htm ) in insect-messiahs
> are at it again. These little buggers may "ignore" native vegetation for a
> while, have they been DEMONSTRATED in a peer-reviewed manner with
> replicated experiments to have left every species indigenous to the
> Western Hemisphere to continue to do so? I await the evidence, and I
> should not be expected to chase it down from a press-release.
>
> A more serious question remains to be answered--do we know, to a
> "scientific certainty," that such imported populations cannot and will not
> evolve to survive on other prey?
>
> WT
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Olivia Kwong" <pl...@plantconservation.org>
> To: <a...@lists.plantconservation.org>
> Sent: Monday, August 24, 2009 7:27 AM
> Subject: [APWG] NEWS: Invasive Saltcedar Triggers Lively Debate
>
>
>> http://www.wssa.net/WSSA/PressRoom/WSSA_SaltCedar.htm
>>
>> Invasive Saltcedar Triggers Lively Debats Among Weed Scientists and Land
>> Managers
>>
>> Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) is an invasive plant that is crowding out native
>> vegetation and dominating the shorelines of southwestern rivers and
>> streams. But put a room full of weed scientists and land managers
>> together
>> to discuss how to tame the aggressive plant and you'll trigger a lively
>> debate about how -- or even whether -- it should be controlled.
>>
>> See the link above for the full text of the press release.
