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Research Update 2 (Team BAG) Apr 7, 2015
Hey all, we are sitting in the library doing some research today, and planning for all of our upcoming tasks. Tomorrow is our first action day and we are pretty excited. We have an early start (8 a.m.) but you know what they say, the early bird gets the worm.
Anyway, I found some more cool information today while doing some quick research. National geographic published an article that presents some situations in which not all “invasive” species are bad. Emma Marris, author of this article, gives many compelling arguments. Let’s look at the Hippopotamus. The Hippo is a native African species but is near extinction in sub-Saharan Africa. However, they are multiplying very quickly in lakes in Columbia after being imported by Pablo Escobar.
We see a very similar situation with the Aldabra tortoise on the islands of Mauritius. In this case, Mauritius lost all of their giant tortoises. Because of this, all of the fruit bearing tree seeds that were transported by the tortoises have declined in population rapidly. These new tortoises, relatives of the previous tortoises, are beginning to remedy this issue.
So, as we can see in this post and our previous research update, it is important to understand and research the whole issue. When going into this project I had only known that invasive species were bad, but the more I research this topic the more my opinion begins to change. Yes, there are some invasive species that are severely harmful (Zebra Mussel), but some coexist and form great relationships with the native species around them.
Source: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/07/140724-invasive-species-conservation-biology-extinction-climate-science/
Stay Tuned for another post tomorrow filled with pictures and updates on our action!
Action Dates Set (TEAM BAG) Mar 31, 2015
Hey everybody, We have got our dates set up for our Hawk mountain project (4/8/15 and 4/15/15). We are really excited to start our action and are hoping to have a large impact on the clearing of the Hawk Mountain Trails. It will be interesting to see just how many invasive plant and animal species we see while clearing out these trails.
Stay tuned for more information next Wednesday (April 8th)!
Research Update (Team BAG) Mar 26, 2015
I have found some interesting information about invasive species and how they effect the environment. While it is well known that invasive species are harmful to the ecosystem they inhabit, we have only recently discovered that not all invasive species actually are harmful. Tomás Carlo, an assistant professor of biology at Penn State University, and Jason Gleditsch, a graduate student in the Department of Biology, have been researching whether or not invasive fruit bearing plants are helpful to the environment.
They researched the Honeysuckle plant, which I had no idea was invasive, and found that the amount of honeysuckle could accurately predict the number and diversity of birds within and even beyond the region. It seems as if the Honeysuckle plant and different Bird Species’ have formed a mutualistic relationship.
“”The abundance of fruit-eating birds in the Happy Valley region is linked to the abundance of honeysuckle,” Carlo explained. “Honeysuckle comprises more than half of all the fruits available in the landscape, and it benefits birds by providing them with a source of food in the fall. Meanwhile, birds benefit honeysuckle by dispersing the plant’s seeds across a wider geographical area, helping the species to occupy more and more territory in areas already affected by human activities.”
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110211095555.htm
Intro (Team BAG) Mar 17, 2015
Hello all, we are team BAG (Ben, Aakash, Guari). We are researching invasive species, and will be working with the Hawk Mountain Organization for our project. We are in charge of helping the organization clear trails in order to get ready for spring and summer hikers.
My name is Ben, I am a Junior at Penn State Berks, and I am an accounting major. I am 21 years old and love hiking and the outdoors, so this project is really important to me.
My name is Aakash, I am a Junior at Penn State Berks, and I am an Information Sciences and Technology Major. I am 20 years old and love doing adventure sports and outdoor activities.
My name is Gauri, I am a junior at Penn State Berks, majoring in Information Sciences and Technology. I am 20 year old and I like out door activities.