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From: overt@antony (Christian Overton)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: Ecosystemic Contamination
Message-ID: <11681@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM>
Date: 10 Oct 89 17:56:34 GMT
References: <8909272147.AA01656@aristotle.Jpl.Nasa.Gov> <2035@frog.UUCP> <5661@portia.Stanford.EDU> <767.25311054@csc.anu.oz> <5715@portia.Stanford.EDU>
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Reply-To: overt@antony (Christian Overton)
Organization: Unisys - Paoli Research Center   Paoli, PA
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In-reply-to: joe@hanauma.stanford.edu (Joe Dellinger)

In article <5715@portia.Stanford.EDU>, joe@hanauma (Joe Dellinger) writes:
>I think my point still stands, though (even though I admit it's more the
>exception than the rule). If North America wasn't so isolated, then how
>about:
>1) Brazilian Water Hyacinths (taking over everywhere with a decent climate)
>2) @#*$*^&@# British House Sparrows (far and away most common bird in almost
>	all of North America, all descended from a handful released by
>	some idiot.)
>3) Grasses in California (the "golden hills" of California are caused by
>	introduced grasses. I'm not sure where they came from.)

I'm glad this came up on the net.  I was trying to explain to my seven-year old
son about the problems that can arise when plants and animals are introduced to
new environments by man; he got excited by the idea and wanted me to compile a
list of recent invaders mostly to N. America (n.a.).  I'm looking for any
interesting additions to my current list, and sources where we can find more
information:

ORGANISM                             ORIGIN                 INTRODUCED TO

killer bees                          africa                 n.a.
fire ants                            s. america?            n.a.
kudzu                                japan                  n.a.
walking catfish                      africa?                n.a.
gypsy moth                           europe?                n.a.
xenopus leavis (clawed toad)         s. africa              n.a.
various foreign cockroaches too numerous to name            n.a.
med. fruit fly                       mediterranean area?    n.a., hawaii

rabbit                               europe                 australia

Not sure about these:
blackbirds (grackles)                europe                 n.a.
   seen in large flocks?
pigeons                              europe                 n.a.

An additional list he is interested in would include problems arising when an
animal or plant is eliminated from an area.  I guess I'm thinking mostly about
examples like the explosion in the deer population when predators such as wolves
are eliminated, but I was also under the impression that destruction of the
manatee had resulted in overgrowth of water plants in Florida, and
over-harvesting of California sea urchins was causing a problem with overgrowth
of kelp.  Are these examples correct?  Are there any other good examples?

Thanks,
  Chris
-- 
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