yego.me
💡 Stop wasting time. Read Youtube instead of watch. Download Chrome Extension

Invasive Species 101 | National Geographic


2m read
·Nov 11, 2024

(birds tweeting)

[Announcer] Rapidly growing, consuming, adapting, they conquer. Jeopardizing local economies, threatening human health, and devastating entire ecosystems.

[Man] As whole rows of cherished landmarks are condemned, brought home to town-dwelling citizens are the rigid precautions being taken by the Department of Agriculture to save this tree from extinction.

[Announcer] Invasive species are non-native organisms that cause considerable damage when introduced to a new area. These species compete with native wildlife for resources and thrive at the expense of the local ecosystem. (tree crashing) The introduction of invasive species is often associated with human activity. Boats that travel between different bodies of water can carry hitchhikers, such as the zebra mussel. One of the most notorious invasive species in the United States, these rapidly reproducing mussels clog pipes and overtake beaches in the Great Lakes. Some invasive species, however, are introduced intentionally. (frog croaking) In the early 20th century, cane toads were brought to Australia as a form of pest control. Today, these poisonous amphibians number in the millions and have caused a decline in native predators on the island.

It's not just animals. Bacteria, fungi, and plants can also become invasive. Brought to South Africa in the 19th century, the black wattle is an invasive tree often used for timber and firewood. This beautiful tree, and other thirsty invasives, are depleting the country's already record-low water supply. Because of their impact on human health, ecosystems, and infrastructure, invasive species cost the global economy over a trillion dollars each year.

Many measures can be taken to help limit the spread of invasive species, but the most effective method is prevention. By carefully cleaning boats before transferring between different bodies of water, not releasing exotic pets into the wild, and planting gardens with native species, we can help prevent the spread of invasive organisms. Every living thing has evolved to play a specialized role within their ecosystem. In the ultimate balancing act, even one invasive species can drastically tilt the scales. If we stay mindful of our role in the spread of these organisms, we can prevent invasions before it is too late. (gentle cinematic music)

More Articles

View All
Worked example: coefficient in Maclaurin polynomial | Series | AP Calculus BC | Khan Academy
Nth derivative of g at x equals 0 is given by. So the nth derivative of G evaluated at x equal 0 is equal to n + 7 over n 3r for n is greater than or equal to 1. What is the coefficient for the term containing x^2 in the McLaurin series of G? So let’s ju…
Associative property of multiplication
[Instructor] So, what we’re gonna do is get a little bit of practicing multiple numbers together, and we’re gonna discover some things. So, first I want you to figure out what four times five times two is. Pause the video and try to figure it out on you…
Why Trees Are Taller Than They Need To Be
Have you ever noticed how badly people behave when they are collecting their luggage at the airport? I mean, they all cluster right up against the carousel so people behind them can’t see their bags. And then when you do spot your bag, you have to push th…
The Beginning of Everything -- The Big Bang
The beginning of everything. The Big Bang. The idea that the universe was suddenly born and is not infinite. Up to the middle of the 20th century, most scientists thought of the universe as infinite and ageless. Until Einstein’s theory of relativity gave …
15 Things You Didn't Know About LOUIS VUITTON
15 things you didn’t know about louis vuitton. Welcome to alux.com, the place where future billionaires come to get inspired. Hello, Alexers, and welcome to another exciting original video presented by alux.com. Today, we’re going to look at the number on…
Estimating multi-digit multiplication word problems | Grade 5 (TX TEKS) | Khan Academy
We’re told results from a survey showed that 2,138 people took photos with the camera when on vacation. About 15 times as many people took photos with their phone. About how many people took photos with their phone? So pause this video and take a shot at …