Re: Invasive species discussion (split from cat thread)
I read, in National Geographic (so I tend to trust it) that earthworms are not native to North America, but came over with the potted fruit trees (also not native) that the early colonists brought over, and that the earthworms brought massive ecological changes.
Also, the herb yarrow, native to Asia, now grows pretty much everywhere because it was once considered an extremely useful plant - now pretty much ignored in favor of exotics, like ginseng. But it seems to co-habitate with other local plants pretty well - unless I'm missing something...
On the other hand, zebra mussels, carp, sea lampreys, there's some kind of gobby fish as well, though I haven't seen it - are all screwing up the Great Lakes ecology. Most of these came from discharged bilge water, but the carp were a misguided attempt to add a food source... but nobody will eat them...
I read, in National Geographic (so I tend to trust it) that earthworms are not native to North America, but came over with the potted fruit trees (also not native) that the early colonists brought over, and that the earthworms brought massive ecological changes.
Also, the herb yarrow, native to Asia, now grows pretty much everywhere because it was once considered an extremely useful plant - now pretty much ignored in favor of exotics, like ginseng. But it seems to co-habitate with other local plants pretty well - unless I'm missing something...
On the other hand, zebra mussels, carp, sea lampreys, there's some kind of gobby fish as well, though I haven't seen it - are all screwing up the Great Lakes ecology. Most of these came from discharged bilge water, but the carp were a misguided attempt to add a food source... but nobody will eat them...
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