INVASIVE SPECIES REPORT
INVASIVE SPECIES REPORT (5% of total grade: 5 pts total)
Submit on Canvas under Assignments by Sunday, November 8th at 11pm
Since we are not meeting during Week 11 (November 2-8), in lieu of our usual lecture, you will submit a short report on an invasive species of your choosing.
First, use the following database to browse through invasive species: https://www.invasive.org/species.cfm >Select PLANTS, INSECTS, or WILDLIFE (do not pick a disease for this assignment)
>Under each heading, you will see subdivisions to help you narrow down the list of species.
>Browse the database and click through multiple species. Not all of them will have a lot of information available in the database, so you will need to explore until you find one with sufficient information. In addition, you will likely need to research outside of the database to answer all the questions below.
Once you have settled on a species, write a single-spaced, one page report (min. 400 words) about your invasive species. Answer the following questions for full points:
1. Where is your species native to? (1 pt)
2. Describe the geographical conditions of its native habitat. How has it adapted to it? (1 pt)
It might be useful to consider how it differs from other species of the same type. For example, if you chose a bird, how does yours differ from other types (e.g. wingspan, diet, behavior, tolerance)? What advantages does it have in its natural environment as a result of those differences? How might it be disadvantageous elsewhere?
3. How was it relocated and where was it introduced? (1 pt)
As I will discuss later in the semester, invasive species have different ways of being introduced (e.g. accidental, purposeful, ornamental, as pets) and some species can be brought to new places for more than one reason. Describe the mode of transportation and how exactly it arrived at its new habitat.
4. What problems are associated with your species and what impacts on local flora/fauna has it produced? (1 pt)
Has it caused any local extinctions already? Why is your species so successful in its new habitat? To answer this, you may have to consider what its natural predators were in its native land.
5. What is a possible solution for controlling your species? Are there any existing measures being taken to combat its presence? Have they been successful? (1 pt)
You must cite any sources you use (APA or MLA format both work see citation guidelines here: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html). Failure to cite will result in a 1 pt deduction. Be sure this assignment is written in your own words. Any plagiarism will result in an automatic grade of 0 for this assignment.
