Invasive species discussion (split from cat thread)

[B. de Corbin]

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...

[anunitu]

Re: Invasive species discussion (split from cat thread)

Also,the garden variety snail,not native to the U.S...It made it from the east coast to the went coast in about 100 years..Or so I read..

[DanieMarie]

Re: Cat Hazards

Maybe I should separate all of the invasive species chat...

IMO, its a totally interesting subject.




This reminds me...we were watching a documentary on racoons, and they were talking about the problems they have in Europe with them...because in Europe, they are invasive (also, I think they are a problem in Japan...but I could be mixing that up with something else). Beaver are a problem in Argentina. Being in the US, my focus ecologically speaking is generally our native species with invasive species generally being from Europe, Asia, and Africa... But then again, look at the European honeybee--its not a native species here either (of course, its also not invasive)...and just because something is indigenous doesn't mean it can't be harmful either--the coyote-wolf hybridization occuring in Ontario and the northern US, cow-nosed rays predating depleted oyster beds in the Chesapeake, etc....

I do think though that the evolutionary history makes a difference. One of the hypotheses on the extinction large mammals outside of Africa (wooly mammoths, etc) lays the "blame" on early humans and hunting...and while that's probably not the only cause (climate change, and some other issues), I wouldn't surprised if it was contributory. I mean, lets be honest about ourselves as a species--humans are pretty much the ultimate non-native, invading species for pretty much all of Earth. Everywhere we have gone we have changed the environment to suit ourselves (whether intentionally and overtly or subconsciously and covertly)--and I do mean everywhere...and that includes most indigenous peoples as well.

Totally. We've imported all sorts of useful plants and animals over the years. Look at the potato. It's huge in almost every European cuisine and helped stave off hunger in many countries, yet it's not native. It's also not invasive.

I just meant that animals that prey on rats tend to be problematic.

- - - Updated - - -

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...

I didn't know yarrow wasn't native! It is so present in traditional herbal medicine and it mixes so well with native plants. I'm wondering if it was imported quite a while ago.

[B. de Corbin]

Re: Cat Hazards

I didn't know yarrow wasn't native! It is so present in traditional herbal medicine and it mixes so well with native plants. I'm wondering if it was imported quite a while ago.

It was moved about so very, very long ago that it's easy to think that. Apparently, it traveled with people from the very beginning, so as soon as people got there, so did yarrow.

I don't see much mention of it in the herb books I've seen, a few sentences here, a few there, and I can't recall ever seeing it in a formula - but then, I only dabble in herbs, so maybe I've missed much.

But you know how there are some plants that just seem to "draw you," if you know what I mean... You just like them, for some reason you can't explain? Yarrow has always been one of those plants for me, so I'm glad to find that it's still well know where you are, DanieMarie.

[anunitu]

Re: Invasive species discussion (split from cat thread)

The Cat I "rescued" that my Daughter now has,was most likely "Dumped",it took be about 3 months to get the cat to trust me(feeding it every day),and it turns out she had kittens just before I managed to be able to pick her up,and the kittens. I found a person that used to live in the boarding house I was in to take the kittens(there were 2),and my Daughter took the Mother cat. She is a Beautiful cat,and I think the reason she got "Dumped" was being with kittens.

[Heka]

I do think though that the evolutionary history makes a difference. One of the hypotheses on the extinction large mammals outside of Africa (wooly mammoths, etc) lays the "blame" on early humans and hunting...and while that's probably not the only cause (climate change, and some other issues), I wouldn't surprised if it was contributory. I mean, lets be honest about ourselves as a species--humans are pretty much the ultimate non-native, invading species for pretty much all of Earth. Everywhere we have gone we have changed the environment to suit ourselves (whether intentionally and overtly or subconsciously and covertly)--and I do mean everywhere...and that includes most indigenous peoples as well.

All of Australias mega fauna died out after humans got here.

All our fault!