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I can agree that invasions of new species to new habitats yields new evolutionary pressures on the organisms in existing communities. It will create new complex communities eventually. Those processes will normally take long periods of time. Maybe longer than we have the patience (or time) to tolerate and adapt to. This thought has come from some pretty serious researchers (usually with the caveat that some form of equilibria might be established long after humans have left the scene).

But in the meantime, from a strictly short-term, human-based prospective, we have a host of problems resulting from the invasions of these organisms, whether it is by impacts on our own communities or on native ecosystems we have come to value for a variety of reasons. That said, stopping future invasions and decelerating the process of existing ones is the best we can do. And IF we as a society want to do something along those lines, we had better be serious about it. That's where I differ with the more philosophical arguments--they tend to distract the public from the pressing needs.

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In Tillamook County, there are high school students experimenting with digestion and production of biofuels from Scotch Broom, a rather nasty invasive species for the coast. This is a line of reasoning that some have considered. With improvements in cellulosic biofuel production, we may see that become more of a reality. Still, one would hope we can avoid or control the invasions we have without generating populations that are so big as to be economically viable for energy production. Good point to bring up, however.

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I am afraid that the largely philosophic discussion of whether or not to control invasive species because [i] homo sapiens[/i] are the ultimate invader may be fun, but flies out of the window in the face of some hard facts:

1. Invasive species cost Americans [b]$138 billion [/b] a year (and that is a conservative estimate) as expensive control measures, direct economic losses, prevention efforts, and indirect losses.

2. Invasive species cause destruction of biodiversity second only to direct habitat loss. If we value wildlife, native plant communities and unique places, then we must view these introductions with alarm.

3. Some invasive species bring direct harm to humans through the above mentioned loss of economic lifeways, but also through increased use of chemical treatments to control them (often in close proximity to people), and even as diseases such as West Nile virus.

This is not a matter of xenophobia or similar perspective. This is a matter of halting a set of serious impacts to humans and natural communities before those impacts become even more serious. While we may argue the fine points ad infinitum, these organisms are moving in and altering the planet. This is one case were we have a chance to take a stand and repair or prevent some of the harm.

To learn more about these issues, please visit: http://www.opb.org/programs/invasives/
http://www.gisinetwork.org/
http://invader.dbs.umt.edu/
http://nas.er.usgs.gov/

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Oregon Sea Grant Extension has been working on applied research and education related to invasive species for quite some time. This is especially true for aquatic invasive species, which constitute some of the most serious threats to Oregon's economy due to impacts on fisheries, energy production and water quality. I would like to encourage the producers of tomorrow's show to please contact OSU Sea Grant Extension for more information or suggestions of experts in this important area. You may contact me off-line for that information.

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