Difference between revisions of "Invasive Species of California"

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(New Zealand Mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum))
(Aquatic Invasive Species of California)
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==Aquatic Invasive Species of California==
 
==Aquatic Invasive Species of California==
  
'''Quagga and Zebra Mussels'''
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===Quagga and Zebra Mussels===
  
 
Invasive quagga and zebra mussels are a major threat to our freshwater ecosystems. They are small, clam-like creatures that reproduce rapidly and deplete nutrients in the water. They jeopardize power and water infrastructures, damage ecosystems and destroy recreation. The first confirmed find of Zebra mussels in California occurred at San Justo Reservoir Jan. 10, 2008. Quagga and zebra mussels continue to spread and have infested 39 water bodies throughout the state. A map of all infested waters can be found here. The mission of the Invasive Species Program is to reduce the negative effects of aquatic invasive species on waterways of California. CDFW is involved in efforts to prevent the introduction of these species into the state, detect and respond to introductions when they occur, and prevent the spread of invasive species that have become established. Boaters are required to have their watercrafts inspected and cleaned at specific check stations around the state. For information on boating restrictions and inspections please contact the waterbody manager directly. <ref> [https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Invasives]</ref>
 
Invasive quagga and zebra mussels are a major threat to our freshwater ecosystems. They are small, clam-like creatures that reproduce rapidly and deplete nutrients in the water. They jeopardize power and water infrastructures, damage ecosystems and destroy recreation. The first confirmed find of Zebra mussels in California occurred at San Justo Reservoir Jan. 10, 2008. Quagga and zebra mussels continue to spread and have infested 39 water bodies throughout the state. A map of all infested waters can be found here. The mission of the Invasive Species Program is to reduce the negative effects of aquatic invasive species on waterways of California. CDFW is involved in efforts to prevent the introduction of these species into the state, detect and respond to introductions when they occur, and prevent the spread of invasive species that have become established. Boaters are required to have their watercrafts inspected and cleaned at specific check stations around the state. For information on boating restrictions and inspections please contact the waterbody manager directly. <ref> [https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Invasives]</ref>

Revision as of 17:10, 26 March 2019

Aquatic Invasive Species of California

Quagga and Zebra Mussels

Invasive quagga and zebra mussels are a major threat to our freshwater ecosystems. They are small, clam-like creatures that reproduce rapidly and deplete nutrients in the water. They jeopardize power and water infrastructures, damage ecosystems and destroy recreation. The first confirmed find of Zebra mussels in California occurred at San Justo Reservoir Jan. 10, 2008. Quagga and zebra mussels continue to spread and have infested 39 water bodies throughout the state. A map of all infested waters can be found here. The mission of the Invasive Species Program is to reduce the negative effects of aquatic invasive species on waterways of California. CDFW is involved in efforts to prevent the introduction of these species into the state, detect and respond to introductions when they occur, and prevent the spread of invasive species that have become established. Boaters are required to have their watercrafts inspected and cleaned at specific check stations around the state. For information on boating restrictions and inspections please contact the waterbody manager directly. [1]

New Zealand Mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum)

New Zealand Mudsnails (NZMS) are extremely small snails, capable of collapsing entire food webs. NZMS are considered generalists and will eat the food that other benthic macroinvertebrates rely on for nutrients. They are such generalists that they will out-compete important species for local fish (i.e., the larvae of mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies), all of which have specific feeding habits. Once the species are outcompeted, fish will attempt to feed on NZMS, but they are incapable of being digested and simply pass through the gut of the fish without harm. NZMS also reporduce asexually, and can easily create one million clones over the course of one summer.

They are becoming increasingly common in the Carmel region of the California Central Coast Invasive Invertebrates of the Central Coast.

Plants

Birds

Wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

Wild turkeys are becoming more common across California, specifically in urbanized areas near vegetation. They were first imported in the 1600s for hunting, and again in the 1990s. Turkeys have been in California for many decades, but recently, they have become a concern for local ecosystems because of their ability to compete with native species. It is still under debate whether a turkey is an invasive species, however. Turkeys are considered charismatic birds and enjoyed by many, but because they are large birds that move as a group, they are able to eat more than the smaller native ground birds [2]. Some ecologists believe that turkeys out-compete local native birds such as the California Quail, but many studies find that this is incorrect. [3] [4] Short-term experiments have shown that quail and turkey share common habitat, but quail prefer to live beside roads, where turkey prefer to live near large trees where they roost at night [2] [3] As adults, turkeys do not have many predators besides humans during the turkey hunting season, but as chicks they are prey for bobcats and other medium predators. Turkeys are generalists and have no preference for food; arguably eating whatever they can swallow. This, along with their increase in populations, may serve as a threat for local ground birds, but this is not proven. [3] [2]

Turkeys are common in wooded areas [3] [5] in Marina located in the California Central Coast (specifically on Inter-Garrison Road), but avoid highly urbanized areas [5] such as the California State University Monterey Bay Campus.

Mammals

Feral Cats and Dogs (Felis catus, Canis lupus familiaris, respectively)

An overpopulation of domestic cats and dogs invariably leads to portions of these populations to become feral and homeless. As domesticated animals, these mammals do not completely lose their ability to hunt and survive without the help of humans. Feral dogs are mainly found very urban areas, where they feed on trash and discarded food, and hunt in packs for bigger prey, such as ungulates and other mammals [6]. Feral cats are more infamous for hunting local songbirds, and because they hunt so frequently, many of the songbird populations decline [7]. These populations have the potential to be endangered and threatened species of birds[7]. Domesticated cats also pose a threat to the local bird populations because of their tendency to hunt for enjoyment and their large population (95 million [8]) [7]. Both feral groups are capable of attacking people when provoked or for no apparent reason[6]

Insects

References

  1. [1]
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/california-s-wild-turkey-troubles/
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 https://dukespace.lib.duke.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/10161/538/MP_ang6_a_200805.pdf.pdf?sequence=1
  4. https://ag.tennessee.edu/fwf/Documents/CHarper/Do%20wild%20turkeys%20influence%20quail%20or%20grouse%20populations.pdf
  5. 5.0 5.1 https://www.nwtf.org/hunt/wild-turkey-basics/habitat
  6. 6.0 6.1 https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/271867/1-s2.0-S0921800905X01379/1-s2.0-S0921800904003027/main.pdf?x-amz-security-token=AgoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEE0aCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJHMEUCICubgZ6lM8br%2BIBB7kkD0d2VGXL47zmTQvFHByA9dfmqAiEAiGSX6l2vX0ZvRNR5egd8VOpfDtEPUT9S3NUmyCGhsncq4wMI9v%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FARACGgwwNTkwMDM1NDY4NjUiDE%2FACr3anmt4VAoGDiq3A0JW9d6saGpK2O1c7kgpGGqpDjL288e2HgtJedQeWcQL18wwDlOnGHldOYjkIfuBmfBA%2F6jSTjV3dx86SkeWL5SnytpEyIKxSS%2Bf3CoBqdVbECI0S0Eh5NO6EtJrkfndekKFMs5r4yW0qfL%2F3S%2FCuKWewB%2BorwJCga4DdPrscTvD%2BOrg09cQVCEcMmsd2EkLq7qDBe5meU8Mph2cldSe2Fco6VZtVNnsqAORn%2BmkpiSxugnb6M0rO8RqXeUOa4zU5Adg6cma9DG%2FRV5U0v%2FljWprOCEh80N2%2B3Ea0AZN3JmHrQkxbTfnSX1QqA3rXQ5dS3o7Ni1VeWh8v7maYECGu3klUE80R732c7QQSzksri6UrqLRVq6oLKfFCNJPCpT9Xfe2TH0hYpiEtghKgguNp6iixNuzV%2F9QjEvOq0LdeSvYpnyNiVw2LnR0f9v3avDc7mkWMGcxTrnb2ggYVy5nOcq%2FaNxXnifccbcYh0oFOLnyedpZXLub213onMIIGLK1ahiBq2DXqrW9GONd5zvhmRnqPa%2Fui9jYPZlCNyuyt84Q0ILKqIThKfrTTewkejp%2FJFtWBGEQGmAw0Jjq5AU6tAEdfNTaPwwtnGoj%2BfF9athUsEdpiwmTeAJPdvE%2BbL%2BG70K8ZpbJwpZ%2FSL6AjIgMTRL%2BlcX8tCxpF%2FsQDlZ8q8aA8b%2FX7Gs%2FrCLVJJ5TPXbKyVtTioXdF9jbuQ9LvdKiUvQ7cYPrfLi5yIiw1d%2Fkj0%2FEfFU6i5%2Fn6I%2Bluo3VfCS9D3r52RP1oR46D1nljpAzlb2GTGeLSwmmZhofb6QMb0K%2B6dcSDWEt%2Bz4eEe6jUyq0pdr8nHE%3D&AWSAccessKeyId=ASIAQ3PHCVTYQJIHMTO7&Expires=1553636876&Signature=hhVHDqaGqiJDGiOrdPTZ%2F97bwXg%3D&hash=ac1bc64ae9515b4b71ecc365cddfaed9ef26c7147825b4cdc7a2e2d6fde645b0&host=68042c943591013ac2b2430a89b270f6af2c76d8dfd086a07176afe7c76c2c61&pii=S0921800904003027&tid=spdf-cac71c1c-7c00-49e5-acf8-4fa63c90a400&sid=9af7d78a287f524d683b491668d30ac1b6b0gxrqa&type=client "Feral dogs as invasive species"
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 https://abcbirds.org/threat/cats-and-other-invasives/
  8. https://www.statista.com/statistics/198102/cats-in-the-united-states-since-2000/