Invasive Species Policy and Ecology

Question 1

What is the novel weapons hypothesis?

Answer 1

• the idea that invasive plant sp have an advantage over native sp bc of the possession of novel allopathic defence or antimicrobial chemicals.

Question 2

What is the enemy release hypothesis ?

Answer 2

• basically that invasive sp experience less regulation due to the lack of a natural enemy in their new habitat, allowing them to grow in abundance and distribution

Question 3

What is an invasive species?

Answer 3

• non-native species that pose strong ecological, economic and social impacts in their new environment

Question 4

Are the only problematic species, non-native?

Answer 4

• no

- native sp can be hyper abundant, and management may need to focus on them if they become problematic

Question 5

Explain the invasion hierarchy.

Answer 5

• Species arrive to a new environment
• Species survive in new environment
• species establish in anew environment
• species spread within new environment
• species pose impacts (ecological, socioeconomic)

Question 6

Describe management plans with respect to the invasion curve.

Answer 6

1. Pre-introduction
   L> sp introduction can happen, management focuses on PREVENTION
2. Initial Incursion
   L> establishment happens
   L> management focuses on Removal (eradication is the easiest method here)
   L> lag phase is present here…..may not spread for a long time for many reasons. This is followed by a large population growth curve until saturation of the ecosystem
3. Expansion
   L> expansion occurs
   L> management focuses son remediation bc eradication is difficult now
4. Dominance
   L> significant impact is happening new bc the invasive has grown in large numbers and spread
   L> management focuses on monitoring the impact…eradication is impossible

Question 7

What are the different types of extra-range dispersal? Which are the most influential for invasibility ?

Answer 7

• Leading edge dispersal
  L> gradual expansion of range by colonizing new areas from the edge of the range

-Corridor
L> physical connection of suitable habitat linking a portion of range to another area (like land bridges)

-Jump dispersal
L>long distance dispersal over substantial distances but there is still a connection between the new and original ranges

-Extreme long distance dispersal
L> propagules move far beyond the dispersal range seen over ecological time scales

-Mass dispersal
L> route established such that many individuals can move from different parts of the range to many new sites
L> ex: stowaways like rats in ships

-Cultivation
L> propagules, sometimes mature individuals, are actively moved and receive resources to establish and persist
L> ex: agricultural species, ornamentals, contaminants and pests

*mass dispersal and cultivation are the worst.

Question 8

How does global trade cause a problem with species invasions?

Answer 8

• greater frequency and extent of lengthy but efficient transits
• increased transit, increases the opportunity for species to be accidentally transported
• when many sp transported many times to many areas, by chance alone, some sp will be at right place at right time: survive, establish and pose impacts in the new context.

Question 9

What plays a large role in survival of an invasive in a new environment?

Answer 9

• ecological similarità between source and recipient regions
  ex: introduction of cactus to australia for dye industry, a moth was used to control cactus pops but no w this moth made its way back to NA (originally from SA and brought to Australia), now worried that native cacti will be damaged

Question 10

What greatly influences the establishment of non native species?

Answer 10

• as organism density (propagule pressure) increases, the probability of establishment also increases
• in graph: a= per propagule probability one establishment ; c = allee effect

Question 11

What is the allee effect?

Answer 11

a phenomenon in biology characterized by a correlation between population size or density and the mean individual fitness (often measured as per capita population growth rate) of a population or species.

Question 12

What influences the threshold to detection of invasive species?

Answer 12

• species characteristics influence the lag time prior to noticeable invasion

Question 13

What influences the spread of non native species within a new environment?

Answer 13

• climate
• habitat match
• human aided dispersal
  L> ballast water, plants stuck to boats when transporting them etc.
  L> ex: zebra mussels

Question 14

How can an invasive species impact the new environment it has established and spread in?

Answer 14

• negatively:
  L>if a consumer is introduced it can change food web structure dramatically (ex: Burmese python in Florida…lowering white tailed deer, racoon, opossum, habits, bobcat and grey and red fox numbers)
  L> can lead to unpredictable behaviour exhibited in the new niche like asian carps jumping OR with DSV how they typically exist inf forest edge habitat but in NA they are in full sun…so behavioural plasticity is increasing its invasibility
  L> can also lead to social and economic implications…such as reduced sustainability of social economic systems, with many dynamics and interrelationships (cost of controlling etc)
• positively:
  L> ex with hypoxia being reduced by an introduced invasive sp

Question 15

Invasive species pose a challenge for management and policy. What is the solution?

Answer 15

• partnerships
• policy
• legislation

Ex: An invasive Alien Species Strategy for Canada ; Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan ; Invasive Species Centre; Ontario Invasive Species Act

Question 16

Explain the hierarchical framework of invasive species management outlined in the Invasive Alien Species Strategy for Canada, 2004.

Answer 16

1. Prevention of new invasions
2. Early detection of new invasions
3. Rapid response to new invasions
4. Management of established invaders (containment and control: eradication if possible)

Question 17

An Invasive Alien Species Strategy for Canada, 2004:

• Explain goal 1.

Answer 17

• Prevention of new invasions
  L>increase risk assessment capacity
  L> undertake pathway risk assessments of intentional and unintentional commodities
  L> increase capacity for inspections at borders and other control points
  L> cooperate internationally to prevent introductions at borders

***Basically: What: identify risky sp and their pathways of intro; How: prohibit import, target pathway. legal mechanisms involving sale, trade, possession; Encourage outreach with stakeholders.

Question 18

What type of questions would one ask to conduct a species based risk assessment to prioritize species of greatest concern?

Answer 18

• can it arrive in the new environment ?
  L> like canals, industries, pet trade, recreational activities
• can it survive in the new environment ?
• can it establish in new environment ?
• can it spread within new environment ?
• will it pose impacts ?

Question 19

An Invasive Alien Species Strategy for Canada, 2004:

• Explain the shipping act by transport Canada.

Answer 19

• basically the issue was that ships would unload cargo and replace weight with ballast water.The ship would then leave the port, with the ship filled with water and not cargo. Once the ship reached its destination, it would release ballast water and take on cargo. The water contains various sp from the origin port…
• Shipping act is the primary legislation for how to handle ballast water. It was now required to either:
  (a) exchange ballast water
  (b) treat ballast water
  (c) ballast water is sent to a reception facility
  (d) the ballast water is retained on board
• this was done in an effort to prevent invasions

Question 20

What are the intentional and unintentional pathways of invasion for aquatic species?

Answer 20

1. Intentional introductions: live food dish, aquarium and horticultural pond trade, live bait fish, authorized stocking, unauthorized transfer or stocking
2. Un-intentional: commercial shipping (ballast water management, hull fouling), recreational tourism, water diversion (canals and dams), natural transboundary spread

Question 21

What are the intentional and unintentional pathways of invasion for animals and animal pests?

Answer 21

1. Intentional introductions: wildlife/pet trade, game or fur farming / ranching, livestock, poultry, apiculture, research and development, zoos, malicious introductions
2. Un-intentional Introductions: animal products (meat, dairy, eggs, pet food), packing/packaging materials (containers etc), commercial transport..containers, airplanes, boats, trains, trucks etc, recreation tourism (baggage), natural transboundary spread

Question 22

What are the intentional and unintentional pathways of invasion for invasive plants and pests?

Answer 22

1. Intentional Introductions: viable seeds and grains, live plants and plant parts for propagation.
2. Un-intentional introductions: live plants and plant parts for human / animal consumption, wood products and other plant products, other carriers and means of dispersion (animals, garden materials, garbage), natural transboundary spread

Question 23

An Invasive Alien Species Strategy for Canada, 2004:

• Explain goal 2.

Answer 23

• Goal 2: early detection of new invaders
• achieved by: targeted (risk based) surveillance, establish monitoring network that incorporates capacity for public reporting, develop capacity to detect invasive species (can include eDNA)

Question 24

What is eDNA and how can it be used for invasive species management?

Answer 24

• eDNA = environmental DNA
• Can scan water or soil samples to catalogue what dan is present in the env left behind by some means. Allows us to get an idea of what kind of organisms are there. BUT there are spatial/temporal controversies with sampling (false positives) BUT BUT BUTTTT it is still rad proactive approach.

Question 25

An Invasive Alien Species Strategy for Canada, 2004:

• Explain goal 3.

Answer 25

• Goal 3: Rapid response to new invaders
  L> systems for rapid decision making
  L> develop emergency response plans
  L> make emergency funds available (invasive sp insurance?)

Question 26

An Invasive Alien Species Strategy for Canada, 2004:

• In 2015 what was newly established in the strategy by the fisheries act?

Answer 26

• federal government can now sue substances to control alien invasive species under certain conditions. Can sue substances the otherwise would be banned in diff contexts, withs he goal to improve rapid response strategies.
  L> all done in compliance with he legislation fo Health Canada and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency

Question 27

An Invasive Alien Species Strategy for Canada, 2004:

• Explain goal 4.

Answer 27

• Goal 4: Management of existing species (containment, control, eradication)
  L> indicators of invasion impacts to prioritize species fo concern
  L> research to develop control strategies (ex Sea Lamprey Program in Great Lakes)
  L> performance measures, ex: control objects

Question 28

What protection categories does the Ontario Invasive Species Act (2015) provide?

Answer 28

• Prohibited
  L> full suite of prohibitions apply..no person shall bring into Ontario, possess, transport, propagate, buy, sell, lease or trade
• Restricted
  L> no person shall bring invasive sp into provincial parks and conservation reserves or deposit or release in Ontario. Additional prohibitions may be applied through regulation

**the act is very species specific and not focusing on pathways enough

Question 29

Explain the authorizations, inspection to determine compliance and penalties encompassed by the Ontario Invasive Species Act (2015).

Answer 29

Authorizations
- enable possession, transport, purchase etc of a regulated sp for the purpose of research + education, prevention, control or eradication fo an invasive species

Inspection to determine compliance

• determining compliance with the proposed Act or the regulations, or a condition or an authorization, agreement, plan or order made by an inspector or the Minister.
• inspector may enter and inspect any land, building (not dwellings) or other place if the inspector has reasonable grounds to believe that regulated invasive sp or carrier is present

Penalties

• max fines of $250,000 for individuals and $1,000,000 for corporations
• fine may be multiple by the number of animals, plants or other organisms involved
• Fine may be increased to an amount equal to any monetary befit obtained asa result fo the commission of the offence

Question 30

What issues are brought up about the Ontario Invasive Species Act?

Answer 30

• not enough attention paid to invasion pathways
• Need for species/site/pathway specific risk assessments (nonnative vs invasive?)
• more reactive than precautionary
• no mandate for reporting

Question 31

What strategies and policies exist in Canada for the management of invasive species ?

Answer 31

1. UN CBD: Aichi Target 9
   L> By 2020 pathways will be identified and prioritized. Priority sp are controlled or eradicated and measure are in place to manage pathways to prevent sp intro and establishment
2. Invasive Alien Species Strategy for Canada (2004)
3. Canadian Invasie Plant Framework (CFIA) and Plant Protection Act (1990)
4. Invasive Species Regulations under Fisheries Act (1985)
5. Canada Shipping Act (2001)
6. Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan (2012)
7. Ontario Invasive Species Act (2016)

Question 32

What key conclusions can be made from the Smith et al. 2014 paper?

Answer 32

• 20 federal and 12 provincial acts covered invasive spp intentionally or unintentionally but invasive usually not central focus
• coordination among agencies not expressed in Acts or other policy tools
• Legislation is fragmented: poor protection for complex problems like invasives

**basically lots of potential but a lack fo coordination btwn provinces and federal gov..so very few effectively inspect invasive sp management

Question 33

What are the three key principles to minimize conflict in invasive species management (ISM) outlined by Crowley , Hinchliffe and McDonald 2017?

Answer 33

1. greater attention to the socio political contexts of management
2. early, inclusive public engagement
3. open responsive communication strategies.