Op-Ed: Treatment of Invasive Species

How to Deal With Invasives

Lynn Hui

    I hate kudzu.

    Kudzu is an invasive vine that grows at lightning speed, a rabid relative of Jack’s colossal beanstalk. With a growth rate of one foot per day, it sprints along the ground and smothers everything in its path. As a Tennessean, I am familiar with the grotesque, green-carpeted spaces common in the South.

    Kudzu is the quintessential invasive species, organisms defined by the National Invasive Species Information Center as

    “1) non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and,

    2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm     to human health.” ¹

    I have a grudge against these creeping, intruding, overwhelming creatures. Birdwatching has been a cherished hobby for much of my life, and my awareness of invasive species may stem from the fact that the avian world suffers visibly the effects of invasive species. But my attitude is highly ironic, considering that I come from an immigrant family. In fact, one could argue that Homo sapiens is most guilty of being invasive. What, therefore, is the rationale behind the persecution of these species?

    The common argument goes something like this: biodiversity is good, and as invasive species reduce biodiversity, they should be exterminated in non-native areas. In practice, though, the issue is far from simple. For instance, the brown tree snake is targeted by the US government, as it led to the extinction of many birds on Guam, and both funding and research contribute to a concerted effort to remove the snakes or contain their advance.² On the other hand, cats are the largest cause of bird death in North America, but the public is divided in its opinion of this introduced predator.⁹ In fact, a nasty fight rages between cat lovers and bird lovers over which animal to prioritize. Both sides find some middle ground in trap-neuter-release programs, but such methods struggle to keep up with the population growth of cats.³

    The comparison between snakes and cats reveals some disturbing truths about our treatment of invasive species. Where is the uproar over brown tree snakes? Perhaps our treatment of invasive species is not equal, as it seems that killing a snake weighs less on our conscience than killing a cat. In addition, both brown tree snakes and domestic cats were introduced by humans. Do we have a right to penalize these species for their fight for survival if we are partially responsible for their situation?

    Most importantly (and cynically), does losing a few birds matter? At times, biodiversity seems to be unrelated to the human experience except through the sentimental value of fading species.

    Keeping these questions in mind, let us consider why (or if) the management of invasive species is necessary.

    Firstly, biodiversity does matter to people. Or in other words, birds are more than birds. Each organism plays a unique role in its ecosystem, and when enough of these organisms die out, the ecosystem vanishes, along with the benefits it brought to humans.  For instance, otters and sea stars eat sea urchins and maintain the health of kelp forests, which host a plethora of animals. Kelp also contributes to the fishing industry, protects coastal communities from strong waves, and is used in some fertilizers.⁵ Without their natural guardians, kelp forests could be overrun with sea urchins and vanish, taking along with them the benefits to humans. These effects are magnified when the threatened animal plays a unique and irreplaceable part in maintaining its ecosystem. Honeybees outcompete native bees, some of which are specialized at pollinating native flowers.⁴ With a decline in native bees, plants would suffer along with entire ecosystems. Biodiversity isn’t just about the flora and fauna, and even with advanced technology, humanity is still poorly insulated from the ripple effects of collapsing ecosystems.

    Apart from its practical value, the management of invasive populations is our moral responsibility. We were the ones who introduced most of these species, and as stewards of the natural world with the capability to protect it, we owe it to the native species to halt the advance of intruders.

However, connections between invasives and natives are not always clear cut. On Hawaii, a songbird named the Japanese white-eye is invasive, but it fills the role of extinct native songbirds in pollinating endemic Hawaiian plants.^6,7 Conversely, gigantic flocks of native snow geese threaten to destroy nesting habitat through overgrazing.⁸ The snow goose’s status as a native species should not encourage inaction on the part of conservationists. Thus, policymakers have loosened regulations on snow goose hunts, though the goose population continues to grow.⁸ When we encounter these murky cases, we should focus on preserving native ecosystems over the total eradication of invasives.

    In short, though we have no choice but to clean the mess we have made, conservation, not eradication, should be our guiding principle.

Works Cited

1.    “What Are Invasive Species?” What Are Invasive Species? | National Invasive Species Information Center, www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/what-are-invasive-species. Accessed 29 June 2023.

2.     “Brown Tree Snake.” Brown Tree Snake | National Invasive Species Information Center, www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/vertebrates/brown-tree-snake. Accessed 29 June 2023.

3.     Hostetler, Mark, et al. “HOW EFFECTIVE AND HUMANE IS TRAP-NEUTER-RELEASE (TNR) FOR FERAL CATS?” WEC423/UW468: How Effective and Humane Is Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) for Feral Cats?, edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW468. Accessed 29 June 2023.

4.     Hausheer, Justine E. “Focus on Native Bees, Not Honey Bees.” Cool Green Science, 26 Jan. 2023, blog.nature.org/2019/08/19/focus-on-native-bees-not-honey-bees/.

5.     Fisheries, NOAA. “Kelp Forest Habitat on the West Coast.” NOAA, 2 Nov. 2021, www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/habitat-conservation/kelp-forest-habitat-west-coast#:~:text=Because%20kelps%20are%20primary%20producers,of%20life%20that%20inhibits%20them.

6.     “Japanese White-Eye in Hawaii.” Wikipedia, 8 June 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_white-eye_in_Hawaii#:~:text=Along%20with%20a%20number%20of,%2C%20Taiwan%2C%20and%20the%20Philippines.

7.     J. Francis Wolfe .f67943c9-aee5-4b4c-9cf0-7bd937c850f4{fill:#82b964;} fact checked by Jamie Frater, et al. “10 Invasive Species That Helped the Ecosystems They Inhabit.” Listverse, 4 May 2015, listverse.com/2015/05/04/10-invasive-species-that-helped-the-ecosystems-they-inhabit/.

8.     Hart, David. “What’s the Best Method to Control the Snow Goose Population?” Wildfowl, 3 June 2015, www.wildfowlmag.com/editorial/whats-the-best-method-to-control-the-snow-goose-population/280168.

9.     “How Many Birds Do Cats Kill? How to Save Birds from Them?” WAF, 6 June 2023, worldanimalfoundation.org/advocate/how-many-birds-do-cats-kill/.