Invasive, Endangered, and Reintroduced Species of Pennsylvania

Invasive, Endangered, and Reintroduced Species of Pennsylvania By: Tabatha Mix

Most Common Reasons Endangered Species Increased human population-accommodating more land Chemicals- killing off pests, but also other populations and affecting the birth rate Poaching- animals are regularly overhunted, making the population dramatically decrease Pollution- waste could get into lakes and other areas, allowing the animals to get to them and possibly get sick from the garbage Reduced food source- weather or other natural disasters could wipe out huge numbers of populations and make the predators drop in numbers also, due to starvation Definition - A species that the population numbers are extremely low and are at risk of extinction

Limit yourself in the use of herbicides and pesticides, or even don’t use them at all • Plant some of the native plants for your area in your yard; this would encourage local animals to inhabit these plants, and even allowing one to view the beautiful natural world • Pay careful attention when you drive; many species of animals are hit by vehicles, and could potentially harm the population • Report any poaching or over hunting of endangered species so it can be stopped What can YOU do to help?

King Rail The reduced number of these birds is thought to be the result of a diminishing area of marsh. Many of these spots have been drained to be used for agriculture and other human uses. The King Rail is in need of this marshland in order to nest and survive.

Short-Eared Owl This owl is usually found in grassy fields, meadows, and sometimes marshlands. These habitats, however, are rapidly disappearing. The short-eared owl is becoming rarer especially because their home is being taken over by humans; whether it is for developing living houses for people, or clearing out the land for agricultural use.

Yellow-Crowned Night Heron These birds are endangered primarily because the water quality in which they live is slowly corrupting. This is the result of human pollution, and other disturbances. Another reason for the decreasing number of yellow-crowned night herons is the diminishing population of the crawfish-their main food source.

This plant is endangered because of two main reasons. The first reason is because of human pollution; which puts elements in the ground that are potentially harmful to the plant. The second is the disappearing wetland habitats; with limited pristine living conditions for the plant, there is a shrinking number of these bugleweeds also. Bugleweed

This flower is looked upon as a beautiful table decoration or gift for a loved one. Although this will be greatly appreciated by the receiver, the population of the swamp pink won’t cherish quite as much. It is believed that this flower is endangered solely because there are so many people finding them and picking them. Swamp Pink

Invasive, Introduced, and Native Species Definitions: • a species that is not native to the area in which it is inhabiting, taking over the habitat and killing off native species • a species that has lived in an area ever since the habitat has been produced, and prospers within this habitat • a species that is brought in from another place, and does not naturally live there

How Do Invasive Species Get Here? • in the boxes that are transported all over the world, insects are able to get into the wood and, in turn, be transported to another place • plants bought for decorating people’s homes could spread outside and take over an area • many animals kept as pets aren't native to the region of captivity, and sometimes are released into the wild and create problems • crops for agricultural use can carry different species’ seeds and are able to grow in the new area • aquatic organisms have been found to get caught in the ballast water of ships

competition for food; possibly leaving native species without anything to feed on • too many predators; some invasive animals could kill large amounts of their prey, making it hard to find food • carry diseases that may affect other species or even humans • reduce the biodiversity of an ecosystem; they are capable of overtaking an entire habitat and crowding out other plants/animals What negative ways do invasive species affect the environment?

Zebra mussel (Dreissenapolymorpha) These mollusks are from the Caspian Sea region in Asia, and were originally unintentionally released there through the ballast waters of a ship. They filter feed in the waters where they are latched onto the bottom. This particular species is a problem because they filter so much out of the water that the native species get out competed and are no longer able to sustain life due to lack of food.

Formerly found in Japan and China, these “aphid-like” insects have made their mark in Pennsylvania. Where these adelgids are from, their feeding on trees is no problem, as natural enemies are present, and are able to keep the population in check. Although this may be true in Japan or China, in PA, it is a different story. Here there are very few, if any, predators for these insects, allowing the population to skyrocket, and kill off immense numbers of hemlock trees. These trees are not the only one affected though; they provide shade for different types of fish, and are home to several kinds of birds, which are demolished with the tree. Hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelgestsugae)

These insects originated in Europe and were estimated to be accidentally transferred here in corn brooms in the 1900s. They feed on over 200 different types of plants, and has the ability of making a dent in the populations. The certain problem with these European corn borer is that, if overpopulated, they have wiped out many fields of sweet corn, peppers, and snap peas. European corn borer (Ostrinianubilalis)

Princess-Tree (Paulowniatomentosa) From China, this ornamental tree spread throughout the country after being transported here for decorative uses. These plants can survive almost anything, making them extremely difficult to get rid of. Their seeds can crowd out other seeds and grow where many others wouldn’t survive; for example, it has lived through fire, bulldozing, and even cutting. The issue with this tree spreading too much is that it is capable of living on rough areas like cliffs, and can disturb the balance of the ecosystem.

This grass was from areas of Japan, China, Korea, Malaysia, and India. It can produce tiny stalks of flowers, and die off in the winter. It causes a threat to the ecosystem because it is very well adapted to most living conditions; It can survive in moist, dry, shady, and bright areas. This makes it able to spread throughout the majority of ground space and take up room that native plants could be withholding. Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegiumvimineum)

Extirpated and Reintroduced Species Definition: a species that has been destroyed or removed completely from an area or habitat, but might be still alive in a zoo a native species that was wiped out of a region, but is put back in by humans and helped back to a normal population number

The elk is a majestic species that were once freely roaming all over Pennsylvania. They were completely wiped out in 1867, the last one being shot by a hunter, and the others either hunted or their habitat was cleared. Since then, many people have been conserving and keeping a watch out for these immense mammals. Between 1913 and 1926, the Pennsylvania Game Commission released 177 elk from Wyoming and South Dakota in an effort to reestablish the population in PA. Elk

Bibliography Endangered Species http://www.thefreedictionary.com W.E.S. Endangered Species http://library.thinkquest.org Endangered Species Day- 10 things you can do http://www.thedailygreen.com Pennsylvania Game Commission http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal Endangered Plants of Pennsylvania http://www.ehow.com/list Introduced Species http://www.biology-online.org Invasive Species http://www.nwf.org Pennsylvania http://www.defenders.org Pennsylvania’s elk herd is growing http://www.mhhe.com

Invasive, Endangered, and Reintroduced Species of Pennsylvania