Invasive Species: an overview. Field Biology October 18, Carrie Brown-Lima Director, NYISRI Cornell University

Transcription

1 Invasive Species: an overview Field Biology October 18, 2016 Carrie Brown-Lima Director, NYISRI Cornell University

2 The Ecology of Invasions by Animals and Plants 1958 Charles S. Elton two rather different kinds of outbreaks in populations: those that occur because a foreign species successfully invades another country, and those that happen in native or long established populations. This book is chiefly about the first kind the invaders.

3 Introduced Non-Native Exotic Pests Non-Indigenous Alien Invasive

4 Introduced Exotic Non-Native Alien Pest Non-Indigenous Invasive

5 Working Definitions in New York State and US Invasive species: a species that is nonnative to the ecosystem under consideration, and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. (To be considered invasive, the harm must significantly outweigh any benefits)

6 What is a native species? A species that is a part of the balance of nature that has developed over hundreds or thousands of years in a particular region or ecosystem. The word native should always be used with a geographic qualifier (that is, native to New York [for example]). Only species found in this country before European settlement are considered to be native to the United States.

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8 Non-Native Species = Bad Native Species = Good

9 What is a non-native species? A species living outside its native distributional range, which has arrived there by human activity, either deliberate or accidental. *Non-native species are not necessarily invasive.

10 Native Nuisance Species: Examples from NYS

11 Working Definitions in New York State and US Invasive species: a species that is nonnative to the ecosystem under consideration, and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. (To be considered invasive, the harm must significantly outweigh any benefits)

12 Impacts of invasive species Economic Ecological Health

13 Economic Impacts of Invasive Species Nationwide: Estimated $167 billion annual cost Agricultural productivity Forest Production Lake productivity (Fisheries) Impact on recreation (fishing, boating, swimming) Ornamental/landscaping $2-3 million lost from raspberry and blueberry industry due to spotted wing drosophila in 2012 $3.5 billion annual costs of non-native beetles Hydrilla in Cayuga Lake $1.5 million in treatment costs

14 Ecological Impacts of invasive species Reduced biodiversity Species endangerment Ecosystem functioning

15 Health Impacts of Invasive Species Poisonous or photo-dermatitis Disease

16 Hydrilla in the Cayuga Lake Watershed Hydrilla verticillata Photo credit: Robert L. Johnson Hydrilla discovered in Cayuga Inlet in August of

17 Cayuga Lake Watershed Hydrilla Ecological Impacts Outcompetes beneficial native species Thick mats of vegetative growth Reduces overall native habitat and water quality Oxygen deficits Fish kills Potential toxic blue-green algae outbreaks Economic Impacts Impairs boating, fishing, swimming & recreation Cripple tourism and commerce, and decrease property values Flood capacity of waterways reduced Costs millions of dollars to manage on large scales 2-3 years. 4-5 years? $1.5 million spent for treatment since

18 Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) From Asia First identified in Detroit, Mich., in 2002, Has become the most destructive forest insect to ever invade the U.S. Tens of millions of ash trees have already been killed Now found in 18 states, along with Ontario and Quebec. Predicted to wipe out all ash trees in the US Ash trees in a Toledo, Ohio neighborhood in June Credit: D. Herms Toledo, Ohio trees after emerald ash borer in August Credit: D. Herms.

19 Common characteristics of invasive species Invasive species in general: Have few or no natural predators, competitors, parasites or diseases Have high reproductive rates Are long-lived Are generalists Are pioneer species Characteristics that make Zebra mussels a good invader include its ability to tolerate a wide-range of environments, and high reproduction rate; female mussels release up to 100,000 eggs year.

20 Invasive Establishment Transitions that a species must overcome to become invasive Transport pathway Introduction Establishment Spread The 10s Rule 10% of introduced species will survive after arrival 10% of that will become invasive

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23 How do invasive species arrive? Accidental Ballast water of ships Shipped materials (wood packing, etc) Plants and produce transport Escape from captivity (aquarium, bait, etc.)

24 How do invasive species arrive? Intentional For ecosystem service For agricultural or landscape use Biocontrol (before screening was mandated) Aesthetic Shakespeare enthusiasts?

25 Prevention Targeting Pathways

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28 Early Detection

29 Realizing that surveying and responding is based on available resources, we recognized early on that we cant be everywhere detecting and responding to everything. Needed to have Structure Needed To Be Organized Would lead to Success So we organized for efficiency by: 1. Developing Priority Conservation Areas, PCA s. 2. Developing Early Detection Protocols. 3. Developing Rapid Response Protocols.

30 Potential Control Strategies Eradication Goal Eliminate all individuals and seeds Weed-free for 3+ years Low likelihood of species returning (10 year timeframe) Greatest success for small infestations (< 2.5 acres) Exclusion or Containment Goal Prevent infestation from spreading to uninfested areas Best for slow spreading species and when effective barriers exist May require long term maintenance Suppression Goal reduce the population or reproductive output to a level that maintains native species or ecosystem processes May require long term maintenance Taken from NY Natural Heritage Program Imap presentation

31 Control options Chemical Physical Removal Biological Control

32 Physical Removal/Mechanical Control

33 Chemical Control Photo credit: Robert L. Johnson 33

34 Biological Control

35 Biological Control of Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

36 Leaf beetles: Galerucella calmariensis & G. pusillis

37 Manitoba Montezuma

38 Control options: Risk vs Benefits Chemical Physical Removal Biological Control Decide not to take action?

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40 How do we know if we were successful? OR

41 HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS

42 HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS

43 Driver: Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae)

44 Passenger: Japanese Stilt Grass (Microstegium vimineum)

45 Common (often unfounded) assumption with passenger invasives :?

46 Deer drive stilt grass abundance Davalos et al Forest Ecol. Manag.

47 Transplant experiment: Adult trillium are taller and have more stems when deer excluded Seeding experiment: Higher native trillium emergence in stilt grass Davalos et al Forest Ecol. Manag. Davalos et al Biological Conservation

48 Multiple Stressors: More than one driver?

49 Growing debate surrounding invasion biology

50 Invasive species differ significantly from noninvasive species (Thompson 1994), but the attributes of invasive aliens are not unique; most are shared by invasive native species. From: Native and Alien Invasive Plants: More of the Same? Author(s): Ken Thompson, John G. Hodgson and Tim C. G. Rich Source: Ecography, Vol. 18, No. 4 (Dec., 1995), pp

51 Impact matters more than origin Ex: Southern Pine Beetle in New York First documented occurrence in NYS (Long Island) in 2014 (since first systematic entomological records collected in 1800s) Native to the southern pine ecosystem and the pine barrens ecosystem. Highly destructive forest pest with the ability to rapidly change forest type (e.g., from pines to scrub hardwoods).

52 Expert Opinions: Native Pest or Invasive Species? This is a native species and I feel quite certain that this is all about climate change. It must have been brought north many times but for some reason, now it s surviving in more northern locations than in the past. In my opinion, SPB is an invasive native, but not exotic pest expanding into New York State as a result of climate change or extreme weather events. Invasive does not necessarily mean exotic; SPB is an invasive pest even in NC. I feel SPB is invasive because 1) there are no past records of its presence in Long Island; and 2) because the Long Island population of pine is disjunct from others

53 What difference will this make? Where do the management resources come from? Who is responsible for addressing the problem? The administrative decision of whether SPB is an invasive species under New York law should not affect the practical responses. Dr. Matt Ayres, Dartmouth College

54 Challenges for invasive species management: Many species which ones, where? Understanding new and existing invasive species, species interactions/impacts Setting objectives and measuring real results Best control methods quantitative not qualitative Were we successful cost / benefits of control?

55 Invasive Species in NYS 389 species of non-native (varying levels of invasiveness) plants, animals, insects, pathogens documented in New York (was 346 a year ago)

56 Solutions in New York In 2003 Gov. Pataki called for an Invasive Species Task Force (ISTF) to explore invasive species issues and provide recommendations Published report in 2005 with 12 recommendations to address invasive species in the state

57 Building a Strategic System Coordination and Communication Funding provided by: New York State Environmental Protection Fund

58 New York's Online Invasive Species Database and Mapping System

59 Carrie Brown-Lima Director, NY Invasive Species Research Institute Fernow Hall, Room 216