BSCS Biology: A Molecular Approach

Unit 6: Interactions and Interdependence

WebQuest

Introduction
Think for a moment about the plants and animals you see in backyards, in parks, or in the wild. Some of these species have been living in your area for thousands of years. Any species that was present in North America before European settlement we call a native species. Many species you may think of as natural to your area were actually brought here from other continents by people. Plants and animals that were brought here from other places are called "exotic," "alien," or "non-native." Some non-native species were brought here deliberately. Others were brought by people by accident. Many of these non-native species are harmless or even beneficial, but some become aggressive in their new home. We call these "invasive species."

Invasive species include plants, plant pathogens, insects, fish, reptiles, mammals, and many other species. Invasive species harm natural ecosystems. For instance, invasive plants displace native plants and create barren expanses that are inhospitable for native insects, birds and animals. Invasive fish prey on native fish and can cause natural food webs to collapse. Scientists consider invasive species to be one of the top two threats to biodiversity, second only to habitat loss.

Task
Your job in this WebQuest is to learn about invasive species. You will learn how invasive species disrupt native ecosystems. You will learn about historically important invasive species that have dramatically altered ecosystems in the U.S. You will answer a set of questions to demonstrate what you have learned. You will also choose one invasive species that is currently causing problems in your area. You will learn about the effects this species is having on native plants and animals and what people are doing to control it. You will write a summary about this invasive species describing what you have learned.

Time
2 days to answer the set of questions and write the summary.

Process
First, read the following set of questions before you begin your Internet research. As you explore each site, look for answers to the questions.

Questions about Invasive Species

Why do invasive species behave differently in new places than they do in their native habitats?
Why are invasive species particularly problematic on islands?
Some of the worst invasive species are plants. What characteristics do plants often have that make them invasive?
How has the chestnut blight caused some changes to forest ecosystems?

Next visit the Web sites again and choose an invasive species that is a problem in your region. Conduct more Internet research to learn about this species. Write a summary about the problem of this invasive species in your area. Your summary should include information about where the species originally came from, how and when it was brought to this country, what features of this species make it invasive, and in what ways it is disrupting native ecosystems. You should also discuss how people are attempting to control this species.

Resources
http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/common.html

Visit this site by The Nature Conservancy to read basic information about invasive species, including why some species become aggressive when they are removed from their native habitat and how invasive species harm biodiversity.

http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/sustainable/handbooks/invasiveplants/2.html

Visit this site from the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens to read how plants invade and alter natural habitats, and what makes plants invasive.

http://www.darwinfoundation.org/invasive/Invasives.html

Go to this site by The Darwin Foundation for an explanation of the ecology of native and invasive species and information about how invasive species disrupt island ecosystems.

http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/worst.html

Visit this site by The Nature Conservancy to see some of the worst invasive plants in each region of the country. Click on an area of the map to get information on what invasive plant is afflicting each region of the continental U.S. Scroll down for links to information on invasive species in Alaska, Hawaii, Canada and other parts of the world.

http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/green_tips.cfm?publicationID=617

Visit this site from The Union of Concerned Scientists to read an article discussing the problem of invasive plants.

http://www.tidepool.org/ctc/ctc.invasivecat.cfm

Go to this site to read an article about the problem of domestic cats as an invasive species.

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/invasives.html

Go to this site from the United States Arboretum to read about the problem of invasive plants. Read why some plants become invasive and how best to manage them. Scroll down to see a list of some of the worst invasive plants throughout the U.S., links to individual states' invasive species Web sites, and links to other sites of interest.

http://invasivespecies.nbii.gov/

Visit this site by the National Biological Information Infrastructure for lists and links to information on some of the worst invasive species in the U.S.

http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/SNT/noframe/ns113.htm

Visit this U.S. Geological Survey Web site for an introduction to American Chestnut Blight.

http://www.acf.org/Chestnut_history.htm

Visit this site by the American Chestnut Foundation to read the story of the American chestnut tree and how it was decimated in the 20th century by a fungus from Asia. The site also shows historical photos of chestnut trees.

http://www.invasive.org/

Visit this site to search its database of information and pictures about invasive species all over the planet.

http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=noxious.cgi

Visit this USDA Web site to view Federal and state lists of invasive plants.

http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/products/gallery/regionlist.html

Go to this site by The Nature Conservancy for information on invasive species that are harming forest ecosystems. Scroll down and you will see lists of invasive species that are problems in forests various regions of the continental United States and Canada.

Conclusion
In the process of completing this WebQuest, you've become informed about the important problem of invasive species. You have learned what invasive species are and the ways in which they disrupt native ecosystems. You have read information to answer key questions about the problem of invasive species. You also have learned about an invasive species in your area and the efforts that people are taking to control it. You have enhanced your writing skills by preparing a summary about an important invasive species.