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Introduction essay aut invasive species
Introduction essay aut invasive species
Introduction essay aut invasive species
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Influence on ecosystems range from human causes like the bulldozing of a forest to natural causes like a fire or a flood. In recent times, the introduction and spread of invasive species has transformed native communities rapidly and, in some cases, created irreversible damages. In the Earth’s history, changes have often occurred in the ecosystems. For example, glaciers and the retreat of glaciers cause wide-spread changes. However, although change is a constant in ecosystems, animals and habitats often cannot adapt to the rapid alterations of non-natural stresses. Harm to the environment from the introduction of invasive species occurs through changes in the habitat and declines in the native species. Invasive species can make changes in a habitat’s physical structure, hydrology and salinity, productivity, energy flow, and fire cycle. Declines in biodiversity occur through competition, disruption of the food web, and genetic hybridization. These habitat and species modifications could create an irreversible shift in the ecosystem, creating an altered, stable state.
While invasive species cause damage in many ways, one of an invasive specie’s most devastating effects is habitat modification. Once a habitat is physically altered, even if the invader is removed, it becomes difficult or impossible to reverse the effects. In Life Out of Bounds, author Chris Bright describes the cycle of degradation (1998). As local creatures disappear, the loss weakens the strength of their ecosystem. An artificially simplified community is more likely to break down and the effects of disturbances, such as fire or flood, are likely to be more intense, leaving the area open to more invasions. According to Bright, as ...
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... on natural ecosystems. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.
Devine, R. (1998). Alien invasion: America's battle with non-native animals and plants. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.
Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds. (2002). [Online]. Available: http://ficmnew.fws.gov/index.html [2002, October 14].
Office of Technology Assessment. United States. Congress. (1993, September). Harmful non-indigenous species in the United States. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. (OTA-F-565) (Y 3.T 22/2:2 H 22/993)
Soulé, M., & Orians, G. (Eds.) (2001). Conservation biology: Research priorities for the next decade. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.
Van Driesche, J., & Van Driesche R. (2000). Nature out of place: Biological invasions on the global age. Washington, D.C.: Island Press.
In Beowulf, the protagonist Beowulf is shown as a hero with extrodinary strength. This is not what makes him a hero. By definition, a hero is a man of exceptional quality. However this term does not do Beowulf justice. His self-imposed purpose in life is to help others, and eventually sacrifices his own life in doing so. Beowulf’s battle with the dragon serves as a critique of the notion that Beowulf is a hero. The Dragon section displays many of Beowulf’s heoric characteristics. Beowulf establishes himself as a hero by fighting the dragon, exemplifing strength and courage when fighting the dragon, and sacrificing himself so that others can live.
Larson begins his novel “The Devil in the White City” by setting the stage, mentioning the events and people who made the fair so great. But simultaneously Larson hints at the evil lurking in the shadows. Although the reader is not fully aware of the dual nature of the human condition till Holmes’s big unveil. Larson describes Holmes as “a murderer that had moved among the beautiful things Burnham had created” (Larson 6). Chicagoans were startled by how such gruesome acts could go unnoticed for so long. The juxtaposition of...
...gic of Chicago, but also the darkening madness of H.H. Holmes. This analysis of the book covers the city of Chicago being “the Black City,” before it hosted the World’s fair. Secondly, the glorious magic of Daniel Burnham did make this fair possible who all of his men that he worked with. Next, the city of Chicago when the fair was going on was a grand sight that people around the world would remember in history. Also, the unfortunate sight of the crimes and evil intention of H.H. Holmes had committed, that does put a black eye upon the fair. Finally, The Fair and how it has related to the historical trends of nineteenth century America. The Devil in the White City is an important novel that does tell of a great historical fair and a crime that has happened within the city of Chicago, the events there during that time period would be an important part in history.
The piece I chose to do my literary analysis on was the article, The Truth About Invasive Species, written by Alan Burdick. The article states that invasive species are all around us, but the area with the most prominent amount is the suburbs of Miami. It goes into detail about how abundant invasive species are in this area. Most people who would see a strange animal in their lawn or area would be bemused, however for the people of Southern Florida, this is a recurring scene. Burdick states that “virtually everyone in the South Florida, including Hardwick, has a neighbor with a backyard menagerie of lucrative critters on hold for resale”. Burdick describes both how an invasive species is introduced into an ecosystem, and the impact the have on other species upon their arrival.
The Species of the World. A people's history of the United States. (2003 ed.) In: The Journal of Science.
Nonnative species can also be called alien, exotic, or nonindigenous. Their presence is due to humans dispersing them to other locations beside their native habitat, or by humans creating environmental conditions that allow their growth. When nonnative species begin to take over a new habitat and displace native species, they are then termed an invasive species. Nonnative invasive species are one of the biggest threats to ecosystems in North America (Cox, 1999) because they are able to have an impact on many levels, including ecosystems, communities, and populations (Cushman, Tierney, & Hinds, 2004).
American author, Stephen Crane often wrote about different predicaments that his fellow men encounters. “The Open Boat” is a fictional account of his experience as a correspondent shipwrecked while on expedition to the Cuban revolutionaries in 1897 (http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/stephen-crane) where he spent over 30 hours on a life boat with three other passengers. This realistic story depicts how four men are forced onto a 10 foot dingy after their ship sinks. Crane takes a realist approach when describing the natural elements such as unsettling winds and the raging seas which represent the uncaring and unforgiving nature of life. Clearly, Crane narrates the role as the correspondent, while he provides dialog to provide an understanding on how the other passengers are feeling. “The Open Boat” demonstrates that man cannot survive the natural elements and hardships while isolated in the sea without an understanding of nature.
Beowulf is truly an epic hero, because of his wisdom, strength and bravery. These characteristics keep him set apart from all other character. He would take any risk to defeat his enemy and to gain glory. Even when he dies, he defeated his opponent and gained more glory to his name. In Beowulf, there are series of battles centered around the heroic figure Beowulf, who is an epic hero.
The components of the setting, time of day and time of year, contribute to the irony of the story. In the first paragraph, Jackson describes the day of the lottery as a “clear and sunny” morning two hours before the “noon dinner.” Typically, this time of day is associated with optimism, pleasantness, and growth. In “The Lottery,” this time of day foreshadows
Niskern, Diana. Invasive species. Washington, D.C. (101 Independence Ave., S.E.): Science Reference Section, Science, Technology, and Business Division, Library of Congress, 2004.
In “The Shark” by EJ Pratt, the poet tends to use “he” when referring to the shark. The poet also describes the shark in a way that leads us to think that the shark is a symbol representing war. The poet suggests this by using metal descriptions of the shark such as “sheet iron”, “three-cornered”, “knife-edge”, “tubular” and “metallic grey” (4-6, 10, 19-20). So it could be that the poet is doing this to associate the shark with weapons used as war alas the association of metal in the poem. In my version, the shark is “she” rather than “he”. This changes the meaning of the poem. The meaning that I am trying to send to the readers is how women tend to think of each other. In the original version, the poet associates the shark with metal description. In my version, the metal descriptions as mentioned above are now “pennant flag”, “silvery grey”, “keen-edge” and “cannular” (4-6, 10, 19-20). Women are different from men. They do not use violence to solve matters, but rather they use their words and intelligence. When using these words, you can feel the change of tone from a harder tone to a softer one which is similar to the difference of violence and words. In line 15, the shark snaps at a flat-fish. In my version also line 15, the shark only glowers because females are not as aggressive as males. Females tend to look down upon other females just as the shark is doing in the poem.
An epic hero is defined as someone who seems larger than life, that exemplifies the cultural values of that time period. A piece of literature that revolves around the archetypal hero is the poem Beowulf. Beowulf is the oldest surviving piece of literature in the English language. Although the poem has historical elements woven into it, it is a complete work of fiction. The poem itself was originally untitled. Later on, the poem was named after its protagonist, whom the poem primarily focuses on. Beowulf accurately portrays the archetypal hero in several distinctive ways which include; being a great warrior, traveling over a vast setting, showing humility, and being of noble birth.
In this new age of technology and advances in every possible field of study, many people forget about the environment. Some will just throw their trash all over the place with no concern for the possible consequences. Of course, there are many consequences, but only one comes to my mind. That is the demolition of species’ homes or habitat destruction. Habitat destruction or habitat loss is the altering or elimination of the conditions that plants and animals need to survive. “The primary threat to the world’s biodiversity is habitat destruction” (Okey p.1). Prairies have been greatly affected. The “loss of prairie habitat ranges from 20 to >99 percent depending on the region” (Benedict, Freeman, & Genoways, p.161). Habitat destruction can be caused by many things. These include:
Invasive alien species are disrupting and changing the normal ecological functions of biomes, ecosystems, and the biosphere as a whole (CBD, 2009). They are a threat to biodiversity and can cause damage to, or even eradicate native species which natural cycles and other organisms depend on. While disrupting energy flow, food chains, and shaking the structure of ecosystems to the core, invasive species create not only ecological, but also a whole host of social, economical, and health issues that affect the livelihood of almost every organism on earth, including humans (CBD, 2009).
American Institute of Biological Sciences. (2013, November 8). High bat mortality from wind turbines. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 25, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131108091314.htm