How Invasive Species Affect Biodiversity

First of all, let's talk about what an invasive species is. According to the National Invasive Species Information Center, they are "plants, animals, or pathogens that are non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause harm. " So basically they are any type of organism that moves in on someone else's territory would be considered an invasive species. This might not initially seem like it could affect or harm biodiversity in any way, but it can have a large impact. When an invasive species is introduced to a new area, its natural predator is no longer keeping the population size in check. The species can then flourish, and use resources that otherwise would have been utilized by native species. Ultimately this can lead to the decline, and even extinction of native species, throwing the whole ecosystem off. Additionally, the effects of invasive species cost the US alone $137 billion each year. While this is a huge problem, there are steps that can be taken to reduce the impact of invasive species. The creation of the  Federal Invasive Species Council in 1999 and the National Environmental Coalition on Invasive Species are examples of the efforts made to reduce the impact of invasive species. There are also international efforts t reduce the spread of invasive species that can help to reduce the spread of invasive species internationally. As we continue to grow our efforts to ward off invasive species, we can have hope that in the future this will be a more widely known, and widely preventable issue.

Sources:
Image: Sherman's Lagoon by Jim Toomey

USDA. "Invasive Species: State Resources - Minnesota." Invasive Species: State Resources - Minnesota. United States Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2015.

AIBS. "Introduced Species: The Threat to Biodiversity & What Can Be Done." Actionbioscience. Actionbioscience, n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2015.

Resource Consumption and Overexploitation

        We need resources to survive, but overexploitation of resources presents a very real threat to biodiversity. The lifestyles possessed by citizens in countries such as the United States are unsustainable to say the least. The consumer class, already incredibly large, is growing. Our resource consumption is expected to grow greatly in the future, partially due to population growth, and partially due to a growing consumer class. The United States uses approximately one quarter of fossil fuels globally while only containing 5% of the world's population. This is not the only resource we overuse however, with 65% of adults in the U.S classified as overweight or obese. Our diets are influenced by many factors, including individual preferences and beliefs, traditions, income, and environmental factors. Often, as a nation develops, the population becomes accustomed to a richer and more meat-heavy diet. This creates a continually growing demand for meat. The U.S. has one of the highest rates of meat consumption, at 279.1 lbs/person/year. This is similar to the meat consumption rates of Luxembourg, Hong Kong, and Australia, but is far removed from countries such as Bangladesh and Burundi, both at less than 10 lbs/person/year. Our decadent lifestyles are resulting in practices such as over harvesting, one of the top five threats to biodiversity. Over harvesting depletes a resource to the extent where it can no longer replenish itself. Often this is done to the extent that the resource can no longer recover. To create sustainable resource use, we need to educate ourselves and others about how to reduce our environmental impact and preserve biodiversity.


Sources:

Worldwatch Institute. "The State of Consumption Today." The State of Consumption Today. Worldwatch Institute, n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2015.

World Health Organization. "3. Global and Regional Food Consumption Patterns and Trends." WHO. World Health Organization, n.d. Web. 4 Mar. 2015.

US and International Meat Consumption Chart - Vegetarian - ProCon.org." ProConorg Headlines. Procon, n.d. Web. 4 Mar. 2015.

Overharvesting - Boundless Open Textbook." Boundless. Boundless, n.d. Web. 4 Mar. 2015