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Iiwi Hawaii, a honeycreeper native to Hawaii
House sparrow abundant in my garden
What is the connection? House sparrows are an invasive commensal of humans which have spread across world
Very little of green ‘native’ range is the original range
Very little of green ‘native’ range is the original range
The species spread with human farmers as did house mouse.
Much as I love sparrows historically they were ‘pests’ of arable crops, a flock of a couple of thousand on wheat did not make happy farmers, villages had ‘sparrow clubs’ which were not happy sparrow appreciation societies, they received a bounty.
This abundant bird declined in UK (while still being an invasive problem in US).
I am one of many who enjoy the cheerful chirps, my garden is full of them, I can say I have all the requirements
pan tile roof with numerous nest holes
I am one of many who enjoy the cheerful chirps, my garden is full of them, I can say I have all the requirements
pan tile roof with numerous nest holes
bosky open hedge they can dash into when sparrowhawk appears
ivy in hedge they hide in, they like a good communal sing song in hedge
dust bathing, water
long old grass for nests
winter seeds
weeds in summer
an adjacent meadow from which they bring green caterpillars for
ivy in hedge they hide in, they like a good communal sing song in hedge
dust bathing, water
long old grass for nests
winter seeds
weeds in summer
an adjacent meadow from which they bring green caterpillars for
nestlings
males find their white feathers for display
the population takes a late summer holiday to nearby saltmarsh hanging out in shrubby sueda
males find their white feathers for display
the population takes a late summer holiday to nearby saltmarsh hanging out in shrubby sueda
Problem solved? well yes but reasoned rational experienced understanding based on observation is fine but what about places with all these habitat elements but no sparrows
well they do not disperse far so isolation can be an issue
What I can not see is avian malaria https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/peer-reviewed-papers/avian-malaria-mediated-population-decline-widespread
What I can not see is avian malaria https://www.bto.org/our-science/publications/peer-reviewed-papers/avian-malaria-mediated-population-decline-widespread
A reminder that our experienced based, rational plausible explanations based on experience and correlation can be missing vital facts science needs to discover which is not always easy.
Honeycreepers in Hawaii?
Culex quinquefasciatus
Entered Hawaii at the port of Lahaina, Maui, between 1826 and 1830
https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/LM-10-2.pdf
Culex quinquefasciatus
Entered Hawaii at the port of Lahaina, Maui, between 1826 and 1830
https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/LM-10-2.pdf
Intact native forests fell silent as birds died
migrant birds carry avian malaria, with no mosquito it did not transmit to native birds which had limited disease resistance
many became extinct, survivors found on mountains above mosquito temperature range, which climate change
migrant birds carry avian malaria, with no mosquito it did not transmit to native birds which had limited disease resistance
many became extinct, survivors found on mountains above mosquito temperature range, which climate change
is now altering
https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/2/9/e1600029.full
Intact forest, habitat is vital but it is one conservation issue, invasive species another, pigs and cattle on Hawaii played a role in mass extinction.
https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/2/9/e1600029.full
Intact forest, habitat is vital but it is one conservation issue, invasive species another, pigs and cattle on Hawaii played a role in mass extinction.
Invasive alien species
Ash tree is dying
Ash tree is dying
Elm trees lost as big trees
American chestnut gone
in places 50% or so of forest and important food for animals
in places 50% or so of forest and important food for animals
All introduced disease
House mouse Australia
https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/56044/IPA-HouseMouse-PSA.pdf
House mouse Australia
https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/56044/IPA-HouseMouse-PSA.pdf
Black rat
Manx shearwater
in 1994 94% of world population breeding in British Isles
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00063659409477217?needAccess=true
in 1994 94% of world population breeding in British Isles
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00063659409477217?needAccess=true
Removing black rat vital to restore populations on islands invaded by rats
Success despite animal rights activists https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/recovery-of-the-manx-shearwater-on-lundy-island
Success despite animal rights activists https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/recovery-of-the-manx-shearwater-on-lundy-island
The mice seek out the chicks of seabirds and start to eat away at their flesh. ... 'We've observed mice attacking Tristan albatross chicks, where the rodents will eat through the body wall near the rump of the bird while they are still alive. It can take up to four days for the
I am no longer surprised by animal rights activists not caring about conservation or animals, it is dogma, belief and some admit extinction does not matter to them as long as animal population control, pest control, hunting, farming, pet owning stops.
What I am sickened by is dilettante theorists of ‘conservation’ who in no way are practitioners of conservation biology pushing damaging ideas in highly emotive ways
insulting victims of racism by calling rational management of alien invasive species xenophobia
insulting victims of racism by calling rational management of alien invasive species xenophobia
pretending nature reserves are like zoos
promoting ill thought out introductions
accusing ecologists of ‘speciesism’
biological conservation has evolved as a discipline over many years from hard work by scientists and practitioners
promoting ill thought out introductions
accusing ecologists of ‘speciesism’
biological conservation has evolved as a discipline over many years from hard work by scientists and practitioners
This thread should show you why biologist worry, why invasion biology is a subject
dilettante theoretical game playing is a luxury
invasion biologists deal with reality
Time for world wide biosecurity, trade is a major factor in ecosystem and biodiversity collapse.
dilettante theoretical game playing is a luxury
invasion biologists deal with reality
Time for world wide biosecurity, trade is a major factor in ecosystem and biodiversity collapse.
You have to consider consequence
Rhododendron ponticum introduced from Portugal massive destruction of woodland habitats
Rhododendron ponticum introduced from Portugal massive destruction of woodland habitats
Crassula helmsii
Incredible damage to UK wetlands, huge awful problem
Incredible damage to UK wetlands, huge awful problem
Are all invasives alien species?
Depends on opinion, some ecologists see expanding natives as invasive such as bracken
Depends on opinion, some ecologists see expanding natives as invasive such as bracken
An abundant world distributed species which is causing ecological issues in many parts of native range
What about assisted migration to mitigate climate change? ex-situ conservation. These are important subjects, to be carefully studied by scientists, not subjects for demonising derogatory language. Or childish screaming “We must do something now, it is an emergency”
The worse thing to do in an emergency is something dumb, hasty and ill advised, you make an emergency worse. Catastrophising the world is not mentally healthy, it does not create good solutions.
Reality check the British flora has doubled with aliens, no conservationist is concerned that it is a major problem, very few are invasive, not many become part of native plant communities.
Species like Rosa rugosa invading dunes are problems
Species like Rosa rugosa invading dunes are problems
This thread shows why the precautionary principle is vital for biologists and ecologists, history shows us good intentions can go very wrong as can accidents.
If that makes us Eco-fascists then so be it, I despise your derogatory language, your slur, but if you have a problem with biological conservation then newsflash we are opponents and your sad demonising language is causing harm, and we will fight for biological conservation.
photographs google images
