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Invasive, Endangered, and Reintroduced Species of Pennsylvania By: Grant James Yurisic Endangered Species An endangered species is a population of organisms at risk of becoming extinct. There are many reasons that cause endangerment, but five of the most common are habitat loss, pollution, disease, predation, and competition from other species. What can we do to prevent endangerment? There are many ways endangerment can be stopped. We can recycle, limit deforestation and the introduction of new species, and lower the amount of pesticides and herbicides used. Northern Brook Lamprey, Ichthyomyzon fossor The Northern Brook Lamprey is fairly unique in the fact that it is not parasitic. It lives in the Great Lakes region. There are actually a plethora of reasons for it being endangered. Pollution, water levels, and water temperature are all contributing factors. Another reason is the use of lampricide to manage the amount of invasive Sea Lamprey has caused the populations of Northern Brook Lamprey to decrease as well. The Blue-spotted Salamander, Ambystoma laterale The blue-spotted salamander lives in vernal pools during the breeding season, but it lives in the forest in underground tunnels by mammals during the rest of the year. Both of these habitats are suffering from habitat fragmentation. Habitat fragmentation is the lowering of the amount of useful space for a species. Northern Redbelly Dace, Phoxinus eos The Northern Redbelly Dace is generally found in boggy lakes and streams. The exact cause of its endangerment in unknown, but some believe sedimentation, flow alteration, and erosion are causes. American Lotus, Nelumbo lutea (Willd.) A reason for the American Lotus being endangered actually lies in its process of reproduction. A seed may stay dormant for many years until the conditions for germination are met. When it does germinate it sends out roots that grow into exact copies. They are genetically identical. This decreases the genetic diversity of the American Lotus and its odds of surviving. American Columbo, Frasera caroliniensis Loss of habitat and foreign invasive species are two large causes for the American Columbo to be endangered. Native Species A native species is a species that typically flourishes in a certain ecosystem. Introduced vs. Invasive An introduced species is when the species is living in a non-native habitat and was put there by humans. A species is considered invasive when they aren’t native and cause harm to the ecosystem they are brought into. Ways Invasive Species are Introduced • • • • • Fish Stocking Pest Control Opening Waterways Use of Live Bait Ornamental Plants Negative Affects of Invasive Species • Lower population sizes of other species. • Damage crops. • Use resources that were used by the native species. • Change genetic make ups of native species by breeding with the. Zebra Mussel, Dreissena polymorpha The Zebra Mussel came to the United States in 1986 through ballast water. Zebra Mussels act as food for birds and fish and purify the water in their native environment. They overpopulate in their introduced environment due to their lack They also and cleanse water They can clog pipes and group themselves on top of other native clams and mussels. Northern Snakehead, Channa argus The Northern Snakehead originated from China, Russia, and Korea. Northern Snakeheads are high-level predators. They adapted to the changes in season in their native habitat of China by being able to travel on land by squirming. The Northern Snakehead can live for four days out of water, and it can even live longer if it is encased in mud. This allows it to survive in North America and annihilate native populations. They also compete with native species for food. Bighead Carp, Hypophthalmichthys nobilis The Bighead Carp was introduced to the United States to maintain the balance of algae in water treatment plants. Some Bighead Carp managed to escape to the Mississippi during floods in the 1980s. They are able to eat large amounts of food and reproduce successfully. They are a top predator in their native environment. Bighead Carps compete with native species by eating plankton and vegetation in their introduced environment. They can disrupt the homeostasis of an ecosystem by eliminating a species and decreasing the biodiversity. Norway Maple, Acer platanoides L. The Norway Maple is the most extensive maple in Europe and was first introduced to America in 1756. Norway Maples are used for landscaping and wood. They are suited for a plethora of soil conditions. They have a high shade tolerance and compete with native maples and decrease the biodiversity. Japanese Honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica Thunb. The Japanese Honeysuckle was brought to America from Asia, primarily Japan and Korea. They provide nectar for insects and hummingbirds and shelter for animals in their native enviroment. Japanese Honeysuckles have few enemies and are able to grow and spread quickly in their introduced environment. They can outdo other plants and block sunlight, and they can also actually constrict young trees and prevent the flow of water. Reintroduced and Extirpated Species Extirpated Species– An extirpated species is when a species ceases to exist in a certain location but still exists somewhere else. This is also known as local extinction. Reintroduced Species– A species that is reintroduced is when it is released into the wild on purpose, but it had previously lived in the area it is being released into. American Elk, Cervus elaphus American Elk were reintroduced to Pennsylvania during 1999 relocation project. Works Cited http://animals.about.com/od/wildlifeconservation/tp/helping_endangered_species.htm - Protecting Wildlife http://library.thinkquest.org/5736/causes.htm -- What Causes an animal to become threatened or endangered? http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/058/chapter75/s75.1.html - Endangered Species http://www.conservewildlifenj.org/downloads/cwnj_43.pdf - Endangered Species Spotlight http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/nhesp/species_info/nhfacts/phoxinus_eos.pdf - Northern Redbelly Dace http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/species-especes/species-especes/lamprey-lamproie-eng.htm - The Northern Brook Lamprey http://plants.usda.gov/java/threat?txtparm=&category=sciname&familycategory=all&duration=all&growthhabit=all&w etland=all&statefed=statelist&stateSelect=US42&sort=comname&submit.x=53&submit.y=9 – Protected Plants for All Scientific Names http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Plants_Wildlife/rte/rteamericanlotus.asp - American Lotus http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection/CW69-14-457-2006E.pdf - Status Report on the American Columbo http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/pae/es_map/articles/article_66.mhtml - Pennsylvania's Elk Herd Growing http://www.allwords.com/word-native+species.html – Native Species Definition http://nationalatlas.gov/articles/biology/a_invasive.html - General Information on Invasive Species http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Biodiversity/2ColumnSubPage/STEL02_167289.html - How Invasive Species are Introduced and Spread http://www.esa.org/education/edupdfs/invasion.pdf - Invasion http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/invasivetutorial/List.htm - Invasive Exotic Plants in Pennsylvania List http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/japanese_honeysuckle.htm - Japanese Honeysuckle http://www.fish.state.pa.us/ais.htm - Aquatic Invasive Species http://seagrant.psu.edu/publications/posters/supertramps/smallcolor/zebramussel.PDF - Zebra Mussel