Introduction

Invasive species are an unfortunate consequence of both human mobility and our attempts to try and alter and control natural systems. Certain invasive species are incredibly dangerous to ecosystems, wielding the potential to drive native species to extinction. Many invasive species are also almost impossible to completely eradicate once they become established (Anderson et al. 2004). To retain biodiversity, the best approach is continuous management, made possible through the work of dedicated citizen scientists who record local outbreaks. I have decided to get involved in the fight.

Of the many applications that allow observers to enter their own data, "Outsmart Invasive Species" is a well funded application specific to invasive species in the New England region. Here is a comical promotional video of the project, which illustrates just how important the public's participation can be in maintaining fragile ecosystems:

Outsmart Invasive Species is a collaborative effort between the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (MA DCR) and the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health at the University of Georgia. The app provides a space for citizen scientists to record instances of invasive species in New England in order to eliminate them before they spread. It accomplishes this goal by geotagging photographs and adding it to a community database.

More information on this project can be found here: http://masswoods.org/outsmart

My study area of Cohasset, Massachusetts, is a brilliant place for me to search for invasive species for several reasons. First off, housing development is an important contributing factor in the spread of invasive species in New England. The existence of invasive plants is correlated with wildland–urban interface spaces and low density residential areas (Gavier-Pizarro et al. 2010). With 8,500 people in 31.44 mi², the town of Cohasset is filled with wildland-urban interface spaces between forests and suburbs.

Furthermore, I am already quite familiar with some local invasive species. Green crabs, for example, are known to eat lobsters, uproot eelgrass, and agonize spider crabs and blue crabs (Grosholz & Ruiz 1996). I have already conducted a project on green crabs, establishing a convenient a cuisine for their meat. Phragmites reeds are also a dangerous enemy of wetlands, displacing native grasses by forming large strands up to 15 feet high (Silliman & Bertness 2004). These occur in many places in Cohasset, despite human efforts to cut them down. There are also many relics of agriculture throughout this space; remnants of grapevine, plum, and carrot cultivation are prevalent within disturbed forests.

While some invasive species have the potential to permanently alter entire ecosystems, others are less dangerous, even beneficial in some cases. In order to better understand how invasive species function in novel environments, I will also be taking note whenever I see native species utilizing invasive ones. This will allow me to realize if the management of some invasive species should be prioritized over others.

Sources:

Andersen, M. C., Adams, H., Hope, B., & Powell, M. (2004). Risk assessment for invasive species. Risk Analysis: An International Journal, 24(4), 787-793.

Gavier-Pizarro, G. I., Radeloff, V. C., Stewart, S. I., Huebner, C. D., & Keuler, N. S. (2010). Housing is positively associated with invasive exotic plant species richness in New England, USA. Ecological Applications, 20(7), 1913-1925.

Grosholz, E. D., & Ruiz, G. M. (1996). Predicting the impact of introduced marine species: lessons from the multiple invasions of the European green crab Carcinus maenas. Biological Conservation, 78(1-2), 59-66.

Silliman, B. R., & Bertness, M. D. (2004). Shoreline development drives invasion of Phragmites australis and the loss of plant diversity on New England salt marshes. Conservation Biology, 18(5), 1424-1434.