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Invasive Species
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The Threat of Invasive Species
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Watch the video & answer these
questions:
What is an invasive species?
List examples
What problems do these invasive species
cause?
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Introduction
Read the introduction and discuss the
following as a class:
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What is the difference between nonnative species & invasive species?
What determines if a species is
considered an invasive species?
What are some examples of the effect an
invasive species might have on a
community?
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Introduction
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A nonnative species is a species
introduced to an area where it is not
normally found.
A habitat is the specific location where an
organism lives within an ecosystem.
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Introduction
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An invasive species is a nonnative
species that causes harm to the
economy, the environment, or human
health.
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Within an ecosystem, the population of
a native species may decline when a
non-native species begins to take over
the same role in a habitat.
Kudzu is known to uproot native trees and
shrubs, and also essentially smother them
by covering them up and preventing
access to resources such as sunlight and
carbon dioxide (Bergman & Swearingen,
2005)
KUDZU VIDEO
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Challenge
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How do certain characteristics increase
the likelihood that a nonnative species
becomes an invasive species?
Another way to think of this question is:
What features of a species make it more
likely to become an invasive species?
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Procedure
Part A
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Form groups of 3-4. Each person should
chose one case study to read.
Share information about your case study
with your group
make a list of similarities you note in all the
case studies
Begin creating a list of traits your group
thinks increase the potential for a non
native species to become invasive
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Revisit the
Challenge
What conditions and characteristics
would increase the likelihood that a
nonnative species would become an
invasive species?
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Be sure to think about the following:
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Characteristics of the organism
Environmental conditions
Other native organisms being affected
Effects on the economy or health of the
local human community
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Revisit the
Challenge
TRAITS THAT INCREASE LIKELIHOOD OF
NON-NATIVE SPECIES BECOMING INVASIVE
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Rapid reproduction
Ample nourishment (plentiful food supply;
or organism can feed on variety of food)
Traits well suited for environment
Adequate defense against potential
predators or absence of predators
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Procedure
Part B
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In this section you will read about the
benefits and risks of the possible
introduction of a nonnative species to try
to replenish a fishery. The balance
between these benefits and risks is
known as a trade-off.
Activity 4: Invasive Species
PAPER OR PLASTIC?
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Why choose PLASTIC?
Conserve water & energy usage…reduce CO2
emissions…all result of making paper…also to
reduce the amount of solid paper waste
Why choose PAPER?
Avoid generating plastic waste or using up
petroleum resources
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Procedure
TRADE OFF…
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an exchange of one thing in return for
another,
giving up something that is a benefit or an
advantage,
in exchange for something that ay be
more desirable
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Challenge
Should nonnative oysters be
introduced into the Chesapeake Bay
in order to sustain the oyster fishing
industry?
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Read the summary report
Use the “read…think…take note”
procedure
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Discuss your notes with your
group
Create a “discussion web” to
analyze this question
Consider two opposing
viewpoints:
FISHERMEN:
make their living off the
oysters in the bay
CONSERVATIONISTS; want
to protect the bay…keep it at
its original state
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Chesapeake Bay
Discussion Web
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In the center box, write the question being considered:
Should nonnative oysters be introduced?
In the box at the top of each column write one of the
viewpoints being presented. Record the evidence
supporting each viewpoint in the appropriate column.
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Follow Up
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What other questions need to be answered in
order to fully justify one side or the other?
What is the likelihood of the nonnative species
bringing disease into the ecosystem?
How likely could the oysters spread outside the
bay?
Would the nonnative oysters crowd out the
native species?
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Analysis
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Describe some characteristics that increase the
likelihood of nonnative species becoming invasive
Discuss the trade-off in introducing a predator into
an ecosystem to prevent a specific species that
has become a “pest” from spreading
Take either the side of the fishermen or the
conservationists and make a recommendation for
or against the introduction of the nonnative oysters
into Chesapeake Bay. Include at least two tradeoffs associated with your recommendation.
Activity 4: Invasive Species
Key
Vocabulary
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ecosystem
evidence
habitat
invasive species
nonnative species
trade-off
Activity 4: Invasive Species