Invasive species have been messing with the natural ecological order in various locations around the globe for several years. This example comes from Kenya, in which a very small animal is having very large impacts on the food chain. Bigheaded ants (Pheidole megacephala) kill off the native species of ants, which creates a domino effect, essentially, hungry elephants have more trees to uproot for food since the native species typically protects this tree by biting the elephant from the inside of its nose out. With the trees being uprooted, the Lions have more trouble stalking their prey (in this case, zebras).
This post had me thinking about invasive species local to my region of the United States, the northeast, specifically New Jersey. We have an ongoing issue with Spotted Lanternflies, which are destroying crops in the region. The residents of my state are strongly encouraged to kill them when they spot them.
Do you have any invasive species in your region that are proving to have ecological consequences? Do you think teachers should teach children about the impacts of these invasive species in whatever region they teach?
Hi Mia! I really enjoyed this article and I think you bring up a great topic. I think it is important for teachers to inform their students about the ecosystems they live in, around, and are a part of. Invasive species can be a much bigger issue than people realize in certain areas. In my opinion it is always good to know at least a little bit about the types of wildlife/ plants around you that you see on a daily basis. Though you might pass by these species not thinking much of them, there are many that indicate whether an ecosystem is healthy or not. For example, a large amount of lichen (a type of algae that grows on other organisms usually trees) is a sign of good air quality in that area. I thinking knowing small things about our environment can teach us a lot and I think invasive species is one of those things.
Hi Mia! Thanks for your post – it was exciting to learn more about this topic. I typically don’t put much thought into invasive species or the impact they can have on our ecosystems, but this topic is very important to look into as a future educator and something I will need to consider when deciding how to teach children about the impact of invasive species. Since I currently reside in and plan to teach in Virginia, I looked into the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions to learn more about the invasive species in my area. An invasive species found specifically in Virginia includes the Japanese honeysuckle. The Japanese honeysuckle is found statewide in Virginia and the vines grow and spread rapidly. This poses a threat to vegetation by decreasing the light able to reach the habitat and depleting the nutrients. Suppression of plant growth heavily impacts the ecosystem and proves to have ecological consequences. Overall, I do believe teachers should teach children about the impacts of these invasive species in whatever region they teach in to expose them to the threats of invasive species and what that could mean for our ecosystems.
Hey, Mia! Thank you for sharing this informative article about invasive species with us for this week. Students learn about the ecosystems around them and invasive species are an important component of that content. Not only is it important to understand the plant and animal life around you, but it can also be incredibly interesting for students as the examples surround them. When I was an undergraduate student in Tennessee, we had an ongoing problem with an unbelievably large amount of bugs that I believed to be harmless ladybugs. When a friend shared that they were not ladybugs but actually Asian lady beetles (Harmonia axyridis), it sparked a sincere interest in trying to learn more about the invasive species and the harmful effects it had around me beyond just what I found annoying to deal with. For a student, having an example like that from their own experience that you can acknowledge when learning about their environment and invasive species can help them make sense of the content.
Hey Mia! You chose a very interesting topic. I am honestly not an animal person so this is not a topic I would usually be interested in but, I am now extremely intrigued. I do believe that teachers should teach their students about the impact of the invasive species in the ecosystems near their homes. I think it is important for our youth to stay current with the animal life because it can affect our daily lives. The article presented by Mia talks about how the percentage of buffalo kills by lions has increased by forty two percent, strictly because beef became more attainable. If lions continue this route, beef for humans might become scarce. To better my students’ understanding my example would be “less beef means less/more expensive hamburgers, chilli, meatloaf, tacos,etc.” Students do not have to be experts in the topic but they should have a basic knowledge and understanding of the complexities of ecosystems.
Mia, thanks for sharing your thoughts on invasive species, especially the Kenyan bigheaded ant case and its cascading consequences on the ecology. It’s shocking how little critters may affect the food chain and ecology. Your mention of Spotted Lanternflies in New Jersey resonates with me since I’ve witnessed their damaging influence in the Mid-Atlantic. Maryland also struggles with invasive species like Northern Snakehead fish in our rivers. These aggressive predators threaten biodiversity by disrupting native fish populations and habitats.
I think schools should teach kids about invasive species in their areas. We can teach environmental stewardship and empower the next generation to fight invasive species and preserve biodiversity by increasing awareness early on.
The National Wildlife Federation reports that invasive species like the Northern Snakehead can destabilize aquatic ecosystems by outcompeting native species for resources and food webs. This disturbance can harm aquatic biodiversity and terrestrial ecosystems. I’ve seen how Northern Snakeheads have damaged Maryland fishing and pleasure. Early discovery, swift response, and public education are crucial to controlling invasive species. Teaching kids about these ecological issues gives them the skills and incentive to protect biodiversity in their communities.
Great topic choice Mia. The ants are a great example of how something so tiny can create such an imbalance within food chains; a ripple effect. We do not think about how one small change can have a large impact on the environment and other species in that location, which affects other regions.
Yes, there are invasive species in my region that are proving to have ecological consequences. My examples of invasive plant species are English ivy or mint and they’re probably growing in your yard. My parents have the English ivy spreading up their Magnolia tree and growing up the lamp post as well. I have mint spreading like wildfire around the patio. It reminds me of growing up and how my mother would put some in our sweet tea and, she and I joke that it’s the only plant she can’t kill! She’s may not have a green thumb, but she makes beautiful floral arrangements.
Both of these plants are considered invasive and are a danger to our local ecosystems. An invasive plant is one that is not naturally found in that geographic region and it’s harmful to the environment. They spread quickly and compete with native species for resources which can lead to the extinction of native plants and animals. Many invasive plants require significant amounts of time, energy and money to control. I can attest to that when trying to get rid of the mint since the roots were growing up through the patio and it’s taking the space and nutrients of my other plants.
The good news is that you have the power to stop them from spreading. And to accomplish this task, it takes a look at the Scientific (asking questions) and the Engineering (finding solutions to problems) processes.
Now that we are aware of invasive plants and animals, we can take action before it’s too late. This is how plants and animals become threatened, endangered and then extinct.
Yes, I think teachers should teach children about the impacts of these invasive species within the local region they teach. This way the students are aware and can find solutions to prevent any future imbalances in food chains and the eco-systems. They can be proactive to prevent this from happening in their region.
Hi Mia!
This article on invasive species that you shared was fascinating. I think this is a very interesting topic to bring up for teaching science. I remember last year when taking AP Environmental Science, we learned about a species of frog that were invasive to Australia and so detrimental to the environment that they told people to kill them, but the controversy was that the people had grown to like the frogs. I found this really interesting, as even though they were hurting the environment, the people of some towns protested against killing them. I think we should definitely teach children about invasive species so they can be informed of the harm an invasive species does to an environment so that there do not arise other situations like the one in Australia. Explaining about which species are invasive to their own community would be a good way to make this make sense and seem interesting for the students. I feel like this is a topic that children would be able to understand if simplified enough, and I think an important one as it directly affects their environment.
Hi Mia!!
I loved reading about your thoughts and experience with invasive species! After reading, I realized I did not know enough about the impact of invasive species and I wish I did. I was shocked to see the impact something as small as ants could have on animals so much bigger in size. Similar to some of my classmates, I absolutely agree that species and ecosystems should be taught much more frequently in the classroom. I feel like we are taught the most basic effects of plants on the ecosystem from a positive perspective but not much focus on the harm species can have. Due to some recent conversations, I’ve had with some professionals who work to save The Chesapeake Bay and how to make it a more survivable habitat, I decided to do some research on Invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay. Based on an article from the Maryland Sea Grant, there are over 200 invasive species but six raise serious concerns. I thoroughly enjoyed further researching this topic and would love to incorporate it in my future classroom.