We must know what is the invasion of foreign species?What is the harm?

On June 30, 2022, an international protection biologist and the international part of the Green Club enjoyed a case of a foreign invasion species that caused a headache for Americans -dancing moths (Latin scientific name Lymantria Dispar, English Gypsy Moth), Green The International Department of the Congress will talk about the invasion of foreign species on this case. It is sorted and shared below for friends who are interested.

In the 1960s, the United States, due to the long -lasting North -South War, caused the southern cotton supply of the textile factories to be cut off. Finding new textile materials to replace cotton was called many scientists research.

In 1861, the amateur natural scientist Etienne Leopold Trouvelot used American moths to experiment to try to find a moth that can be used to droop and stubborn vitality. By 1866, despite the successful cultivation of his beloved water moth larvae, Truflo still wanted to cultivate a better variety, a variety that was less likely to be attacked by predators. Then he went to Europe to find moths that can be used enough. He chose the dance poison moth and brought the moth eggs to Meroderford in Massachusetts in 1868. The dance poison moth was raised by him in the backyard.

He seriously started his new experiments, hoping to hybridize foreign dance poison moths with his silkworm moths to produce a business feasibility hybrid species. However, things were contrary to their wishes, and part of these dance poisonous moths fled later, which opened the prelude to the worst harm of biological invasion in American history. In 1981, the United States spent 764 million US dollars to prevent dance poisoning moths.

Like other poisonous moths, dancing poisonous moths are covered with long hair and the body is gray. The dancer of dance moths is mainly the large number of leaves of the larvae feeding, causing the trees to weaken. When the number of larvae reaches a certain number, the leaves may be feeded. Due to the large reduction of the leaves, the trees will be greatly weakened. If the trees are severely harmful by dance poison moths for several years, then under the influence of other creatures or non -organisms, the trees will be killed after 2 to 3 years. The local ecosystem is undoubtedly a huge challenge. On the other hand, the new larvae climbed to the end of the branches, hung on the silk thread, and let the wind bring them to other trees. Therefore, controlling the dance poison moth became a challenge.

Dance poisoning moths have a huge impact on host plants, forest ecosystems, and humans. The United States has an average of millions of acres of forests every year by dance poisoning moths. Related prevention and control costs and economic losses have reached tens of millions of dollars.

"Terrible" foreign species invasion

According to the definition of the World Nature Protection Alliance (IUCN), foreign species are species established in natural and semi -natural ecosystems and species. When it changes and endangers local biodiversity, it is a foreign invasion species, which causes the harm caused by it. It is a foreign creature invasion.

The invasion of foreign species is one of the biggest reasons for the loss of biodiversity and the extinction of species, and one of the factors that threaten global food security. There are several main hazards in the invasion of foreign species: one is to cause the decline in agricultural and forestry products, output value and quality, and increase costs; the second is to affect biodiversity, especially the living space of local species, causing local species to die and Endangered; the third is the impact on the health and trade of human and animals.

The common "big snail" after the rain in Guangdong, also known as brown cloud agate snails, is a foreign invasion species from Africa. This "giant beast" is not as cute as the lyrics. Various vegetables, crops, and plants can all be regarded as food. It has been listed as a second -class quarantine harmful creature in my country.

The current situation of invasion of foreign species of China

my country is one of the countries with the worst invasion of foreign species. China has found more than 660 kinds of foreign invasion species, of which 215 of them have invaded national nature reserves to threaten local species and ecosystems. Among the 100 most threatened foreign invasive species announced by the World Nature Protection Alliance, 50 species have been found in my country, causing serious harm to agriculture, forestry, water conservancy, and animal husbandry.

Water hyacinth. Photography: Green Club BCON expert Li Zhenwen

Corresponding measures for foreign species invasion

my country attaches great importance to the hazards and prevention of foreign species invasion, especially in the context of the popularity of the new crown epidemic, it is particularly important to formulate effective response measures. On April 22 this year, the Fourth Executive Meeting of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs reviewed and approved the "Administrative Measures for Migraphic Invasion Species" and was officially implemented on August 1 this year with the consent of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the General Administration of Customs. The "Measures" pointed out that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will build a census system for foreign invasion species in conjunction with relevant departments, organize a national census every ten years to master the number, distribution range, and degree of harm of foreign invasion species in my country; If a crime is suspected, it will be transferred to the judicial organs to investigate criminal responsibility.

Today, with the continuous development of globalization, the scale of business activities and tourism industry is huge, frequent exchanges between countries and regions around the world, and the opportunity for species introduction has greatly increased. Therefore, international cooperation is one of the key to establishing effective biological safety measures and management measures.

Organ: Zhang Rongyu

Review: Linda, Samantha

Edit: Pierre

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