realized that i'd crossed 3000 observations on #iNaturalist
and my 3000th was...yet another observation of an #InvasiveSpecies
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4 posts4 participants0 posts today
Field trip to gather some first VOC samples of the invasive Asian hornet (Vespa velutina).
Really productive day, thrilled to get the data in the lab later.
On my first walk to work of 2025 I discovered what appears to be a new invasive species.
Careful examination shows it to have a rubbery epidermis and a tendency to squeak when threatened., before exploding violently.
It seems to reproduce by silently drifting into new habitats fuelled through human neglect, hen do's and children's birthday parties.
I shall give the scientific name: Ballonia Inflatus
Specialist shooters in NSW culled over 400 feral cats in the past year to protect native wildlife. Conservationists say the effort is necessary but emphasize it’s not a complete solution. #WildlifeConservation #FeralCats #NSW #Biodiversity #Conservation #invasivespecies
ABC News · Shooters kill feral cats in bid to protect native species in NSW
Scientists Create Gene-Edited "Peter Pan" Cane Toads to Curb Invasive Species in Australia
Australian researchers are turning to bioengineering to tackle the invasive cane toad crisis. A new gene-edited "Peter Pan" toad, designed to stay juvenile and never mature, could help control the species by preying on its own siblings.
Plans are underway to release these modified toads into the wild, where they’re expected to limit population growth from within. While counterintuitive, this self-limiting approach aims to disrupt the relentless spread of the pests without introducing new toxins or predators.
#Bioengineering #InvasiveSpecies #Conservation #ScienceNews #Australia
ABC News · Gene-edited 'Peter Pan' cane toad that never grows up created to eat its siblings, control invasive species
Humans constantly change and even destroy #ecosystems - what happens then? It's called 'novel ecosystems'. "They now exist as self-sustaining systems. These are wild but changed ecosystems. They have passed some critical threshold which means they are unlikely to ever go back to how they were before." #Hawaii has become a laboratory for #ecologists to study such "freakosystems": https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250403-the-new-hawaiian-freakosystem-emerging-on-oahu-accidentally-created-by-humans
BBC · This Hawaiian island's 'freakosystems' are a warning from the future
Weeds - "We need to go and make sure you can't buy them anymore."
The ecological damage already caused by weeds that had 'escaped' household gardens was tiny compared to the potential threat posed by plants sold at gardening retailers.
"We've introduced so many plants into Australia now that, when you go for a walk in your local bush, one in eight of the plant species you see there have been introduced. At least three-quarters of weeds established in the Australian environment have come from escaped garden plants, according to a 2004 report by biosecurity strategist John Virtue."
>>
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-06/garden-stores-selling-plants-that-could-be-next-invasive-weeds/105128092
#plants #flora #weeds #gardens #culture #BushDumping #dumping #horticulture #industry #markets #regulation #Bellingen #InvasiveSpecies #NSW
Human-made ecosystems: Ecological novelty is now the "new normal" for our planet
"30-40% of the world's terrestrial ecosystems have already transformed into novel states."
"O'ahu as an "amazing crystal ball" that offers a glimpse of the future of our planet if humans continue to damage environments and drive species to extinction."
"Hawaii's O'ahu's lowland forests are now almost entirely devoid of the plants and animals that grew here for millions of years before the arrival of humans. Settlers brought extinctions by cutting down trees to make farms and introducing voracious predators and disease-carrying animals. Today, these tropical forests are a tapestry of non-native species introduced from every corner of the planet: Brazilian peppertree, Indonesian cinnamon and roseleaf bramble from the Himalayas and Australia. Most of the animals, including all the birds that Tarwater mentioned earlier, are also alien."
"We like to think of O'ahu as the cautionary tale for all the other Pacific Islands and the Hawaiian Islands. It's what you don't want to have happen – Corey Tarwater"
>>
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250403-the-new-hawaiian-freakosystem-emerging-on-oahu-accidentally-created-by-humans
Towards a novel biosphere in 2300: rapid and extensive global and biome-wide climatic novelty in the Anthropocene
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/abs/10.1098/rstb.2023.0022
#biodiversity #biosphere #ecosystems #extinction #birds #loss #InvasiveSpecies #degradation #SettlerSociety #cattle #dogs #grasses #NovelEcosystems #weeds #restoration #Pacific
BBC · This Hawaiian island's 'freakosystems' are a warning from the future
When invasive species are removed, the gap can be filled by other invasive species. But controlling the seasonality and the order in which invasive species are removed can change the subsequent community composition in different ways, some of which may favor native species.
The Applied Ecologist · Agostina Torres: The order and timing of removal of invasive species influence community reassemblyShortlisted for the 2024 Southwood Prize Agostina Torres introduces us to her latest research which evaluated the dependence of community reassembly on inverse priority effects by experimentally re…
Menacing upward trend alert! 
Day 2 of #30DayChartChallenge focuses on "slope," and #spottedlanternfly observations on #iNaturalist paint a concerning picture. This #invasivespecies (#Lycormadelicatula), highlighted in my #Rstats infographic (back to Python tomorrow 
), poses a threat to our trees. Join #citizenscientists and report any sightings to help track this pest! #HitchHikerBug #DataViz #Ecology
#AshTree Protection Collaboration Across #Wabanakik
"Ash trees, in particular brown ash (used interchangeably with black ash, Fraxinus nigra), are a cultural keystone species for Wabanaki communities and a crucial part of wetland ecosystems in the Northeast. The spread of the invasive forest pest EAB has caused 99% brown ash tree mortality in other areas of Turtle Island, and will have a considerable effect on ecosystems and traditions as it spreads through the Dawnland.
"Partners of the Ash Protection Collaboration Across Wabanakik’s (APCAW) have been working for 20 years to prepare for the onset of EAB in Northeastern forests. We are committed to identifying research-informed strategies to protect the future of ash in the Dawnland that align with Wabanaki priorities. The purpose of this website is to share practical knowledge with those who seek to take actions to maintain ash on the landscape. If you’d like to receive event announcements in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter here. Read on to find information about the cultural importance of ash, seed collection efforts, and emerald ash borer (EAB) management.
Why are we called the Ash Protection Collaboration Across Wabanakik?
"Our name emerged from collaborative conversations about the goals of our shared work. We decided to use the word #Wabanakik to refer to the place where we are located in an effort to center Wabanaki language and ways of knowing. Wabanakik is a term with slightly different meanings in each eastern #Algonquin language, but can be understood in English to mean either 'in the location of the land which is referred to as the #Dawnland' or 'in the location of the People of the Dawn.' Wabanakik stretches from Newfoundland in the north, to mid-Maine in the south, and parts of Quebec in the west.
"APCAW members acknowledge that we are located in the homeland of the #WabanakiConfederacy, which includes the #Abenaki, Maliseet, Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot Tribal Nations. Wabanakik has a ongoing legacy of #colonialism, of #StolenLand, broken treaties, forced removal and genocide of Wabanaki peoples which have fragmented Wabanaki relationships to land. The People of the Dawn maintain a sacred relationship with brown ash trees since time immemorial. APCAW’s work is to center, protect, and restore this ongoing relationship between Wabanaki peoples and ash ecosystems.
Who are we?
"The Ash Protection Collaboration Across Wabanakik (APCAW) is a group of Indigenous and non-indigenous researchers, Tribal members, and forest caretakers working together to bring more awareness of the cultural and ecological significance of ash trees and efforts to conserve them. APCAW continues the initiative set forth by the EAB and Brown Ash Taskforce, which began in the early 2000s to facilitate the collaborative capacity of Wabanaki basketmakers, Tribal Nations, state and federal foresters, and others to prevent, detect, and respond to the EAB. APCAW gives platform to the work of a broad range of partners, including:
• University of Maine School of Forest Resources
• Tribal Nations
#MikmaqNation, Presque Isle
#HoultonBand of #Maliseet Indians, Houlton
#PassamaquoddyTribe at #IndianTownship
Passamaquoddy Tribe at #PleasantPoint #Sipayik
#PenobscotNation, Indian Island
• Wabanaki basketmakers and the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance
• State and Federal Forestry Agencies
USDA APHIS
State of Maine Department of Agriculture & Forestry
State, Private, and Tribal Forest Service
• Conservation organizations and seed saving organizations
The #WildSeedProject
#MaineLandTrustNetwork
Learn more (includes links to resources):
https://umaine.edu/apcaw/
#Maine #MFS #EAB #EmeraldAshBorer #AshTree #AshTrees #APCAW #InvasiveSpecies #Wabanaki #ProtectTheForests #MaineNews #Maine #SaveTheTrees #WabanakiCulture #WabanakiBasketry #WabanakiTradition #Forestry #ProtectTheSacred
Ash Protection Collaboration Across WabanakikHome - Ash Protection Collaboration Across Wabanakik - University of Maine
How to protect #AshTrees and preserve a #Wabanaki tradition
October 29, 2024
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 29, 2024
"How to help protect the brown ash tree used in Wabanaki basketry from the invasive emerald ash borer.
• Cut, buy, or burn only local firewood.
• Monitor for telltale signs of infestation.
• If you own land, know if you have brown ash.
• If your ash is healthy, contact a forester or #MaineForestService about how to keep them alive.
• Collect seed pods from healthy brown ash for replanting.
• Consider offering Wabanaki artists access to your brown ash."
Source [may be behind a paywall]:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/10/29/how-to-protect-ash-trees-and-preserve-a-wabanaki-tradition/
#Maine #MFS #EAB #EmeraldAshBorer #AshTree #AshTrees #APCAW #InvasiveSpecies #Wabanaki #ProtectTheForests #MaineNews #Maine #SaveTheTrees #WabanakiCulture #WabanakiBasketry #WabanakiTradition #Forestry #ProtectTheSacred
RESTORE: The North WoodsHow to protect ash trees and preserve a Wabanaki tradition — RESTORE: The North WoodsPORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 29, 2024 How to help protect the brown ash tree used in Wabanaki basketry from the invasive emerald ash borer . • Cut, buy, or burn only local firewood. • Monitor for telltale signs of infestation . • If you own land, know if you have brown ash . •&
#EmeraldAshBorer Confirmed on #MountDesertIsland
Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry sent this bulletin at 04/01/2025 03:42 PM EDT
AUGUSTA, #Maine — "Maine State Forester Patty Cormier today announced that the #MaineForestService (#MFS) Forest Health and Monitoring Division has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (#EAB) on Mount Desert Island (#MDI) outside of the previously regulated area.
"A licensed professional arborist in Bar Harbor made the detection. The infested area shows signs of a well-established EAB population, with visible damage to ash trees from public roads.
"'This is an unfortunate but not entirely unexpected discovery,' said Cormier. 'We’ve known that EAB continues to spread throughout Maine, and we appreciate the vigilance of local arborists and community members. Public awareness is important to detecting and responding to this destructive forest pest.'
"As a result of this detection, the Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry will expand the current EAB quarantine to include all towns on MDI. This non-contiguous quarantine may help slow the spread.
"Key guidance for landowners, municipalities, and the public includes:
- #AshTree material should remain on MDI. Logs, branches, or wood waste from removed trees should be disposed of on-site or at an island-based disposal facility.
- Ash chips are not regulated and may be legally transported off the island.
- High-value ash trees that are not heavily infested can be evaluated and may be preserved through systemic insecticide treatment by licensed pesticide applicators. These treatments require periodic reapplication.
- Infested ash trees will decline quickly and become structurally unstable. Property owners and managers are urged to evaluate ash trees near infrastructure for potential treatment or removal.
"The MFS and collaborators, including the Ash Protection Collaboration Across #Wabanakik's (#APCAW), Sustaining Ash Partners Network (#SAPNe), and #USDA Animal and Plant Inspection Service, continue to support ongoing mitigation efforts, including:
- Release of biological control organisms from federal partners by MFS through community partnerships.
- Seed collection and protection for future restoration led by APCAW.
- Education and technical support by varied partners.
- Public tree management and replanting through state and federal funding opportunities.
"'Emerald ash borer is one of the most damaging forest pests we face,' added Cormier. 'By working together—with awareness, early detection, and coordinated response—we can slow its spread and protect Maine’s forest resources.'"
Learn more:
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MEDACF/bulletins/3d9a239
#InvasiveSpecies #Wabanaki #ProtectTheForests #MaineNews #Maine #SaveTheTrees #WabanakiCulture #WabanakiBasketry #WabanakiTradition #Forestry
Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and ForestryEmerald Ash Borer Confirmed on Mount Desert Island
Human activity is driving #biodiversity loss in all species. Human activity causes five drivers of decline, with one driver being #InvasiveSpecies. Releasing pets into the wild contributes significantly to the invasive species driver. #DontLetItLoose!
The Guardian · Biodiversity loss in all species and every ecosystem linked to humans – report
more DOGE foolishness:
“Copeland had just spent several months training the only dog stationed in Florida capable of detecting the Giant African land snail, an invasive mollusk that poses a significant threat to Florida agriculture. “We have dogs for spotted and lantern flies, Asian longhorn beetles,” he says, referring to two other non-native species. “I don’t think the American people realize how much crap that people bring into the United States.”
WIRED · DOGE’s Cuts at the USDA Could Cause US Grocery Prices to Rise and Invasive Species to Spread
If it weren't for the fact that american mink are a non-native invasive species destroying the local wildlife, I'd find them rather elegant and fuzzy...
First time of seeing one in the wild myself. Impressed at just how close we got (about 15' across a water channel).
A list of the "top 10" most invasive species in hawai'i: https://www.khon2.com/local-news/hawai%CA%BBis-top-10-invasive-species-wreak-havoc-on-ecosystem-each-year/amp/
Note that they only included animals, not plants.
What do y'all think of the list? Is there anything you'd add or remove?
KHON2 · Hawaiʻi’s top 10 invasive species wreak havoc on ecosystem each year
From rabbits to cane toads to prickly pear, Australia has seen its fair share of invasive species taking over the environment. While science has helped us tackle some feral animals, the aquatic pest carp remains a stubborn challenge. #InvasiveSpecies #Australia #WildlifeConservation
Attention: #BritishColumbia peoples.
The invasive #GoldenMussel has been found in California & we need to keep our eyes open for them appearing on our beaches & shorelines.
These can easily grip on to cargo ships & transported without anyone noticing, into BC waters. They got to North America via attaching on cargo ships.
Please read about them & learn to identify them. Report to DFO & your local marine authorities, if you spot them anywhere in BC.
en.m.wikipedia.orgLimnoperna fortunei - Wikipedia
Finally found some more info about the invasive amynthas "jumping" or "crazy" worms that wrecked my garden a couple years ago. All I knew until recently was that they were from Asia, but where in Asia?? Well, most likely Japan, it seems, and also Korea. This researcher found their Japanese names:
Amynthas agrestis: Hatake-mimizu (ハタケミミズ)
Amynthas tokioensis: Fukisoku-mimizu (フキソクミミズ)
Metaphire hilgendorfi: Hitotsumon-mimizu (ヒトツモンミミズ)
It seems that Japanese forest species provide less nutrition in their fallen leaves and needles than north American forest species do. That plus the warmer climes of the USA south is what makes them so devastating here but benign in their native habitat. Still, I wonder whether they do damage to home gardens in Japan, and if so, what people do to counteract them.
#InvasiveSpecies #Amynthas #JumpingWorms #CrazyWorms #Gardening #ecology
https://medium.com/@nigelmills2000/land-of-the-rising-worm-9f77e6100d6d
Medium · What Japan Can Teach Us About Invasive Jumping Worms | by Nigel Mills | Medium