Invasive, Endangered, and Reintroduced Species of Pennsylvania

1. By: CarleyPerroz Invasive, Endangered, and Reintroduced Species of Pennsylvania

2. Endangered Species An endangered species is a species present in such small numbers that it is at risk of extinction.

3. Five Most Common Reasons for Endangerment • Habitat loss- Every species depends on their habitat for food, water, shelter, and living space. Plants and animals in a habitat depend on and interact with each other in many ways. • Environmental contamination- Pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals cause harm to the species’ environment, resulting in the endangerment of the animals in that area. • Competition-Species compete with each other for food, water, shelter, and living space. The ones that don’t receive everything they need begin to die out and become endangered. • Overspecialization- Different species may only rely on one kind of food source, and when there isn’t enough of that source to supply for all of the species, they begin to die. • Commercial use and abuse-Animals are collected and used by humans for personal use.

4. Endangerment Prevention • Protect the animals’ habitats permanently by making national parks, nature reserves, or wilderness areas. • Make space for wildlife (put up a bird feeder, plant a tree, make a garden, stop using harmful chemicals, etc.). • Reduce, reuse, and recycle. • Plant native plants that are local to the area. • Control the population of introduced plants and animals.

5. Endangered Animals in Pennsylvania • American peregrine falcon The American peregrine falcon is endangered due to human efforts to control pests (DDT). • Indiana bat The Indiana bat is endangered because of human disturbances during the hibernation of the bats. Other threats such as the commercialization of caves, loss of summer habitat, pesticides/ contaminants, and white- nose syndrome. • Northern riffleshell The northern riffleshell is endangered due to degraded water quaility and the building of channelization, dams, roads, and bridges.

6. Endangered Plants in Pennsylvania • NORTHEASTERN BULRUSH The northeastern bulrush is endangered because of destruction of its wetland habitat for agricultural, recreational, and residential needs. It is also threatened by pollution, excavation, and off-road vehicle use. • VIRGINIA SPIRAEA The virginiaspiraea is endangered because of impoundments, road destruction, unmanaged recreational use of river corridors, industrial development, lack of watershed management, and exotic invasive plants.

7. INVASIVE SPECIES • Native Species- a specie that normally lives and thrives in a specific ecosystem; this may include any specie that developed with the surrounding habitat and can be helped, harmed, or affected in another way by a new specie • Introduced Specie- a specie that humans have put into an ecosystem accidentally or intentionally; it does not naturally live there • Invasive Specie- an introduced specie whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic, environmental, or human health harm

8. Most Common Ways Invasive Species Get Into Our Country • Ships… they can carry aquatic organisms in ballast water • Wood products… insects get into wood, shipping paletts, and crates and get shipped world wide • Ornamental plants… they can escape into the wild and become invasive • Pet trade… invasive species are intentionally/ accidentally released pets • Biocontrol… invasive species are brought into the country to control the population of other species

9. Most Common Ways Invasive Species Negatively Affect Our Enviroment • Invasive species destroy the habitat or animals. • They cause species to be come endangered because of invasive species alone, or how they combine with other forces to create an impact on other plants and animals. • They are a greater threat to native biodiversity than pollution, harvest, and disease combined. • They cost the economy approximately $137 billion dollars per year because of damages.

10. Invasive Animals In Pennsylvania -SPINY WATERFLEA • Bythothrephescederstroemi • The spiny waterflea originated from Caspian, Azov, Aral Seas, and the brackish areas of the Black Sea. • In their natural habitat, a spiny waterflea’s niche is to keep fish from being landed. • In their introduced environment, the spiny waterflea helps balance the plankton population. • The spiny waterflea decreases the survival rate of fish that feed on plankton, and they caused the disappearance of two native waterfleas. -ASIAN CLAM • Corbiculafluminea • The Asian clam originated from the temperate to tropical southeastern Asia west to the eastern Mediterranean, parts of Africa, and southern Asian lands south into central and eastern Australia. • In their natural habitat, the Asian clam’s niche is to balance the biodiversity of the environment. • In their introduced environment, Asian clams balance out the populations of fish and other animals. • The Asian clam clogs boat intake pipes, damages equipment, alters the food chain, and threatens native species. -SEA LAMPREY • Petromyzonmarinus • The sea lamprey originated from the Atlantic Coasts of Europe and North America. • In their natural habitat, the sea lamprey’s niche is to prevent animals’ blood from clotting. • In their introduced environment, sea lampreys do the same as their natural habitat, they prevent animals’ blood from clotting. • Sea lampreys decrease the population of animals because they cause excessive blood loss and infection.

11. Invasive Plants in Pennsylvania Norway Maple Tree • Acer platanoides • The Norway maple tree originated from Europe. • The Norway maple tree’s niche in its natural habitat is to provide oxygen for the plants and animals in the area. • In its introduced environment, the Norway maple tree to provide shade in forests. • The Norway maple tree causes forests to lose diversity of native wildflowers. Japanese Barberry • Berberisglutinosa • The Japanese barberry originates from Japan and Europe. • The Japanese barberry’s niche in its natural habitat is to provide food for small animals such as birds and rabbits. • In its introduced environment, the Japanese barberry changes the soil chemistry in the environment it inhibits. • The Japanese barberry displaces native species and reduces the wildlife habitat range. It raises soil pH and reduces the depth of the litter layer in forests.

12. Reintroduced/ Extirpated Species • Reintroduced specie- the release of species into the wild, from captivity or relocated from other areas where the specie can survive (usually involves animals that are endangered or extinct in the wild) • Extitrpated specie- a plant or animal specie that has become extinct in a given area

13. Reintroduced Specie in Pennsylvania ELK • Hunting and clearing of the elk’s habitat caused the population to decline. • In 1867, the last reported elk in Pennsylvania was shot in the Allegheny Mountains. • Between 1913 and 1926, the Pennsylvania Game Commission released 117 elk from South Dakota and Wyoming into Pennsylvania forests.

14. SOURCES • www.thefreedictionary.com • www.wildlife.state.nh.us • www.endangeredspecie.com • www.hypermedia.educ.psu.edu • www.swilliams1.com • www.fws.gov • www.allwords.com • www.about.com • www.invasivespecies.org • www.fish.state.pa.us • www.nwf.org • www.actionbioscience.org • www.mhhe.com