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Papers>Introduced Exotic Species>
Summary
- Introduced or exotic species represent a serious threat to the integrity and sustainability of natural ecosystems, including the traditional territory of the Heiltsuk Nation;
- Next to habitat loss, the spread of exotic species is the single greatest threat to biodiversity;
- Our knowledge of the impacts of NIS in marine ecosystems is particularly poor, and thus limits our ability to predict the effects and to assess the risks.
Selected References
Carlton, J.T. 1996. Pattern, process, and prediction in marine invasion ecology. Biological Conservation 78:97-106.
Grosholz, E.D. and G.M. Ruiz. 1995. Spread and potential impact of the recently introduced European green crab, Carcinus maenas, in central California. Marine Biology 122: 239-247.
Johnson, L.E. and D.K. Padilla. 1996. Geographic spread of exotic species: ecological lessons and opportunities from the invasion of the Zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha. Biological Conservation. 78: 23-33.
Paez-Osuna, F., S.R. Guerrero-Galvan and A.C. Ruiz-Fernandez. 1998. The environmental impact of shrimp aquaculture and the coastal pollution in Mexico. Marine Pollution Bull. 36:65-75.
Ruiz, G.M., J.T. Carlton, E.D. Grosholz and A.H. Hines. 1997. Global Invasions of marine and estuarine habitats by non-indigenous species: mechanisms, extent, and consequences. American Zoology 37:621-632.
About the Author and Series
Dr. Craig Orr is a behavioural ecologist who has worked on salmon conservation issues in B.C. for more than a decade. Orr, who has also worked as a seabird ecologist, currently provides advice on selective fishing and water flow issues to the BC Aboriginal Fisheries Commission, and is a member of the board of the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund and Grizzly Bear Trust Fund. He is also president of Watershed Watch Salmon Society.
This paper is the first in a series commissioned by the Heiltsuk for the Central Coast Resource Management planning process.
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