Invasive species. Five Invasive Species You Need to Eat Urgently List of Invasive Species
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Incredible facts
We have already written on the pages of our website about the harm that so-called invasive species animals and plants - that is, animals and plants that did not originally live in a certain ecosystem, but were introduced there by people, or got there by accident (through a hurricane, flood, and so on). And this is no wonder - after all, when they get into a completely different system, many of these species damage it irreparable harm, threatening other species and upsetting the precarious balance that existed in a particular region due to its isolation from other ecosystems.
So who are they, these troublemakers and "killers" of ecosystems and how to deal with them?! Experience shows that sometimes it is simply useless to fight such species. However, the fight is different, according to scientists working on the problem of invasive species. and advise us... to eat them! Researchers are confident that this is the only way to save ecosystems suffering from the invasion of “aggressive” species. Let's take a look at five most accessible species of animals and plants, which researchers strongly recommend that we eat as quickly and as much as possible in order to restore balance in nature.
Bullfrog
No, the bullfrog (or as it is also called - ox frog) is called that way not because its meat tastes like beef. And it’s not even about the size of this amphibian, which is one of the largest species in the frog family. There are individual specimens weighing up to 600 grams! It's all about the peculiar sound made by males during the courtship period, which resembles moo. In appearance, this frog looks very unappetizing and even repulsive - all because large sizes her eardrum, which is as big as her eye.
The bullfrog has unique ability to adaptation. Initially this species lived east of the Rocky Mountains in western Canada and the United States. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, when America tried such a native French dish as frog legs, the bullfrog began to be bred west of the Rocky Mountains. There this amphibian began to reproduce in large numbers, and it managed to survive even fashion for eating paws, which was due to the fact that this dish was considered dietary. These frogs ate everything that came their way and was suitable in size. Because of this, other species of amphibians, such as, for example, red-legged frog, were threatened with extinction. Undoubtedly, the bullfrog, having taken root and bred outside its original habitat, endangered biological diversity of other ecosystems. Thus, scientists see the only way to restore balance in eating these amphibians.
Turnip
What could be simpler... no, not steamed, but just turnips? However, turnips are not as simple as they seem! This type of plant is characterized by a high degree of survival. Turnips were known and popular in northern Europe as early as 2000 years ago. Actually, this is where this species comes from, apparently. About 1500 years ago, turnips appeared in India. The great popularity of this plant is due to the fact that turnips were not only food for people, but also livestock feed. This fact promised great economic benefits to those who first began to import turnips to other regions and led to the uncontrolled spread of this species there.
Even though the turnip contains a large amount of water, it is very nutritious and boasts a high content of substances such as carotene, which is known to be important element in the human diet. In our country, turnips are extremely popular, and have even become a well-known heroine folk tale. Scientists are confident that people in those regions where turnips are not widely eaten and where they are considered an invasive species have only one option - start actively eating turnips!
American jellyfish
The American jellyfish is a very voracious creature, which is also capable of moving very quickly, which gives it the ability to develop large expanses of water in a very short period of time. It is because of this species that the production of black caviar in the southern part of the Caspian Sea is on the verge of collapse, as the sturgeon fish species is under threat of extinction. Millions of these jellyfish appear annually in spring and autumn off the coast of Georgia, USA. Fishing trawl networks during these periods literally filled with these animals, which seriously interferes with fishing in this region. These jellyfish cause great inconvenience to numerous swimmers, and even to those simply relaxing on the beaches (fortunately, these animals are not poisonous, and they don’t sting in principle). However, all these reasons are more than enough to seriously think about how to begin to cope with this invasion.
How? Of course, by eating jellyfish, scientists assure! What is there, you might ask, looking at the photograph? Don't rush to conclusions. An adult American jellyfish can reach twenty centimeters in diameter. In addition, the American jellyfish is considered delicacy, which, however, has been present on tables in many Asian countries for thousands of years. On top of that, these jellyfish are of great medical value. Recent studies show that the protein mass of these jellyfish is collagen by as much as 80 percent! Collagen forms the basis of the body's connective tissue and provides its strength and elasticity. This cellular material can be used to restore cartilage tissue, bones and even teeth. Collagen can also control the development of arthritis. As you can see, there is no reason not to eat American jellyfish!
Lion fish
Lionfish, striped lionfish, zebra fish, zebra lionfish. This fish has many names, so you can rightfully open a real criminal case against it, especially since there is a reason for it! Lion fish originally comes from Indo-Pacific region. However, she managed to get into the area Caribbean Sea and settle down there thoroughly. This invasion is explained by hurricanes and some other natural phenomena that forced the lion fish to “reconsider” its habitat. Now you can find her all over east coast, from Rhode Island in the north of America to Colombia in the south. Protected by poisonous spines, the lion fish is an inherently insatiable predator and very dangerous for many species. Lion fish do not hunt alone. They actually drive their victim into a corner, forming something like a barrier with the help of its pectoral fins. The lion fish is capable of quickly attacking and swallowing its prey literally whole (if it is the right size, of course!).
The lion fish actually has no natural enemies in nature. Thanks to this fact, this fish quickly multiplied and began to threaten the biological system of the coral reef in the Caribbean Sea. She put endangered most of the native species found in the reef area. Moreover, both predatory inhabitants of the reefs, who simply did not have enough food due to competition, and non-predators came under attack. The natural enemy of the lion fish in that region could be sea bass
, however, its population has greatly decreased due to intensive fishing of perch by fishermen. Thus, man unwittingly helped the invasion of an “aggressive” species, which endangered an entire coral reef ecosystem in the Caribbean Sea. The only way to save the inhabitants of the reef is to start intensively eating lion fish, especially since its meat is tasty. All that remains is to figure out how to catch this particular species from all the variety of species in the Red Sea.
Crayfish
The river crayfish, thanks to its ability to gradually take control of its entire habitat, also falls into the category of animals that must be eaten as much as possible and as often as possible. Purely in order to save the ecosystem, of course, and not because boiled crayfish meat goes well with beer! In the case of crayfish, of course, scientists do not need to prove or explain anything, since this creature is eaten almost all over the world. Moreover, in some times, people ate crayfish so intensively that, coupled with gradually polluted water bodies, this species itself became endangered in some places. However, there are still a lot of crayfish and enough for everyone!
As is the case with other edible crustaceans, not all parts of the crayfish’s body can be consumed. Mainly in many dishes such as crayfish soup, for example, only the tail part of the crayfish is used. In other dishes, although the crayfish is served whole (for example, crawfish gratini) also only some parts of its body are eaten. Of course, crayfish claws are also eaten, inside which there is very tasty and tender meat. For this, however, it makes sense to choose only large enough individuals. In many countries it is accepted suck out the contents of the crayfish's head, especially if it was prepared with special seasonings. Gourmets love, while sucking the head of a crayfish, to periodically bite off its tail. Remarkably, other crustaceans are often also highly successful invasive species, which means that, according to scientists, you should boldly replenish your household cookbook new recipes. Bon appetit!
The most dangerous animals, capable of instantly adapting to new living conditions. They have either already destroyed or are currently engaged in the destruction of other animals. Some species of animals are engaged in creating supercolonies on a planetary scale, while others are destroying all zooplankton and animals at incredible speed.
Source: www.hormigas.org
Argentine ants originally lived only in South America, but now their colonies exist in Southern Europe, the USA, and also in Asia. In Europe, the largest colony of Argentine ants extends over 6 thousand km, stretching along the entire Mediterranean coast of Spain, France, Monaco and Italy. The ant colony in the USA (California) has already grown to 900 km. The third colony of Argentine ants is located on the west coast of Japan. All three Argentine ant colonies were found to be tolerant of each other, i.e. form a huge supercolony on a planetary scale.
The homeland of the giant Achatina is the coastal part of East Africa. During World War II, this mollusk spread throughout Oceania, the Caribbean, and America. The expansion of Achatina's range was stopped due to the imposed quarantine. An ongoing snail infestation in the United States was prevented. Achatina giant is a dangerous species, since Achatina is hermaphrodite, that is, each individual has male and female genital organs. At low population densities, self-fertilization is possible. The snail has learned to master all kinds of biotopes: coastal lowlands, river valleys, forests, bush thickets, as well as fields and arable lands. Achatina giant is recognized as an extremely dangerous agricultural pest.
Source: upload.wikimedia.org
The American signal crayfish originally lived in North America. In the 20th century, it spread to Europe because it is not only resistant to the crayfish plague, but is also its distributor. Endemics are not able to compete with American signal crayfish. Currently found in Europe (in 25 countries), as well as in Russia.
Source: upload.wikimedia.org
Deer are included in the list of the most dangerous invasive species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Greatest danger Noble deer carried in South America, where the rare South Andean deer competes with it for food. In Argentina, red deer have spread to many national parks. In some regions, red deer does not allow the populations of local plant species that they actively consume as food to recover, thus affecting plant diversity.
Source: upload.wikimedia.org
Venous rapana is a predator that initially could only be found in Peter the Great Bay, as well as off the coast of Japan, but in 1947, rapana was accidentally introduced into the Black Sea. Due to the absence of natural enemies in the sea, the population of mollusks instantly grew and caused enormous damage to the fauna of the Black Sea. Subsequently, due to intensive maritime transport, the range of rapana increased: now it has populated the entire Mediterranean Sea, as well as the North Sea. There is information that rapana has already entered the waters of South America.
Source: upload.wikimedia.org
India is considered the birthplace of the tobacco whitefly. Whiteflies are dangerous because their larvae suck plant juices and transmit phytopathogenic viruses. A particularly dangerous insect for melons, vegetables and industrial crops. Berry, citrus and forest trees are also affected. Whiteflies have settled on all continents (except Antarctica).
Source: c1.staticflickr.com
Yellow crazy ants originally lived only in West Africa. Now colonies of these ants are found in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Oceania. They destroyed the unique ecosystem on Christmas Island. Yellow crazy ants are capable of creating supercolonies (i.e. they do not compete with each other). They use human transport to capture new territories. They destroy other insects, arachnids, and mollusks. Their diet also includes grains and seeds.
Short story. The St. Lawrence Seaway opened on June 26, 1959. It opened the way for ocean-going cargo ships all the way to the Great Lakes of North America, which improved the economic health of the region and increased the efficiency of transport between the United States and Canada. Unfortunately, it has also brought invasive species into the country. Sometimes they were transferred to new land or into a new body of water for a specific purpose, sometimes completely by accident. Often, the appearance of alien species in a certain area has undesirable consequences for their new home and neighbors. Today we will list the 10 most annoying (from our point of view, although everyone may have their own opinion on this matter), or even the most harmful, invasive species from around the world.
10. Asian carp (Big and silver carp)
Asian carp were introduced into the Mississippi River basin by flooding that overwhelmed ponds at farm ponds and wastewater treatment plants. Carp were introduced by farmers to control the growth of planktonic algae, and now this non-commercial filter-feeding fish is threatening to invade the Great Lakes. You may have seen on TV or the Internet how hundreds of Asian carp jump out of the water when disturbed by boat engines, then land on the bottom of boats and injure the fishermen sitting in them. Fast-growing and capable of reaching more than 4 meters in length and more than 40 kilograms in weight, they pose a serious threat to fisheries in the Great Lakes region.
9. Rabbits
After rabbits, introduced to Australia in 1788 as a food source, were released into the wild, their population exploded. As a result, they began to eat many grain crops and managed to spread far beyond the countryside. Between 1901 and 1907, an extremely long (over 2000 km) "rabbit fence" was built in Western Australia at a total cost of £330,000.
Amazing fact: its longest part, 1,833 kilometers (out of 5,614 kilometers), is the longest continuous fence in the world. To help the workers maintain this fence, camels were brought here. Finally, in 1950, the emergence of the myxomatosis virus made it possible to eliminate enough rabbits to bring the population down to a manageable size.
8. Water hyacinths
Loving warm weather aquatic plants from South America and their beautiful flowers forced people to commit gross mistake– bring them to your home, where they quickly covered the water surface and thereby blocked access sun rays for other plants. This ultimately reduced oxygen in the water, harming wildlife and causing the death of other plants that provided food and shelter for fish and other aquatic animals. The growth of water hyacinth has also caused the spread of mosquitoes. Jamming water arteries in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, as well as in the southern United States and Mexico, hyacinths have now become a problem in Australia and Asia. Introduced to the United States in 1884 during the New Orleans World's Fair, they spread so quickly that they began to block shipping channels.
Amazing fact: In 1910, a bill to import hippopotamuses into Louisiana was only 1 vote short of solving the water hyacinth problem!
7. Kudzu
The fast-growing and fast-spreading Asian vine, also known as Japanese arrowroot or kudzu, was brought to the United States in 1876 during the Philadelphia World's Fair and quickly spread throughout the southeastern part of the country. Kudzu grows fast enough to kill native plants and shrubs, depriving them of light and nutrients. It is considered a noxious weed and was recently found in Southern Canada.
6. Tilapia
Familiar to aquarium enthusiasts as members of the cichlid family, tilapia are a familiar fish species raised in hatcheries for human consumption. Released around the world, either intentionally or accidentally, these hardy fish have made their way to every waterway that remains even slightly warm ( minimum temperature required to survive 7-11 degrees Fahrenheit) for a year, and have developed tolerance to fresh, brackish and coastal salt water, often displacing native species. In some places, they survived cold winters, living next to the warm waters of power plants. Breeding throughout the summer, and not just once a year, as many native species do, these voracious herbivores have found their way into the lakes of the African Rift Valley (especially in Lake Nyasa), where they have partially displaced, and even threatened to completely destroy, the majority of the 1,000 or so native cichlid species.
5. Dreissena / Quagga Mussels
Entering rivers in the Great Lakes region along with the ballast water of ocean-going cargo ships that travel the St. Lawrence River, they have invaded many others. waterways in lakes and rivers, where they multiply in such huge numbers that they cover the internal parts of boat engines and water intakes, and also colonize every rock and ledge in their path. At first it seemed that the native fish of the Great Lakes did not eat zebra mussels, but apparently adapted to them and began to eat them anyway. Unfortunately, mussels, which act as a natural filter, accumulate large amounts of toxins and the fish that eat them end up contaminated with the same toxins and become unfit for food.
4. Toad-aga
The world's largest toad (about 1 meter in length), it is native to Central and South America and was brought to Australia in 1935 in the hope that it would help reduce the number of cane beetles farmers believed were a pest. sugar cane harvest. The voracious toads began to reproduce at such a speed that no one expected from them. Eating almost anything that gets into their mouths (some have fed them mice and dog food, among other things), cane toads will even eat their own tadpoles and anything else in sight, except, of course, cane beetles. for which they were brought. To make matters worse, they secrete a milky white toxin on the surface of the skin that often kills dogs. birds of prey, snakes and lizards. Cane toads were so hated in Australia that “aha golf” and “aha cricket” began to become widespread in the country, using toads instead of balls!
3. Gray rat
Also known as the Pasuk or Barn Rat, this animal, native to northern China, has spread throughout the world (except perhaps Antarctica) by being transported on ships and other vehicles. Arguably the most successful mammal on Earth, these rodents spread disease and destroy millions of tons of human and animal food every year. Their numbers are only partially controlled by the use of cats and small dogs, so the more people living in an area, the more rats can be found there.
2. Carp
An ancient Eurasian edible fish species, the hardy big brother of the carp, was brought to North America by invading European settlers. And to simply say that they successfully completed this migration would be a gross understatement. Found in rivers and lakes throughout the United States and much of Canada and Mexico, the cyprinid fish can grow to nearly 45 kilograms. The fish is so smart that it is almost impossible to catch it with artificial bait. Moreover, Americans do not consider carp edible. And he himself is a lover of easy money, and therefore looks for food at the bottom, swarming in the mud and eating the eggs of other fish.
1. Pigeons
Brought to North America by European settlers in the 1600s, these familiar “flying rats” live in both cities and rural areas. Forming large urban flocks, they leave huge amounts of pigeon droppings on cars, street furniture and everything else. Sometimes large flocks pose a danger even to airplanes. Another particularly irritating feature is their habit of fending off feeders designed to attract local songbirds.
The material was prepared by Natalya Zakalyk - based on the material
