Invasion Biology Action Plan Report

Invasion Biology
Introduced Species Summary Guidelines

Overall Goal: To provide the information that would help a natural resources manager to understand and whether and how respond to the arrival of a non-native species of your choice. The species should have already become common in at least some areas of the Eastern United States. Ideally, it will be a species in which you are interested in researching. That being said, it should not be one on which you have previously done research. It can be either a close relative or an ecological analogue, but it should not be one for which you can list off more than 3 or 4 of the points below. This is to standardize the effort that students in the class spend on this project, in the interest of fairness. Project Homepage available here .

General Format: All reports will be written in HTML code using Netscape Composer (available here ) and will undergo two iterations of review and revisions before completion. Eventually, those that meet the requirements will be put online to be of use to the public and scientific establishments. Finished reports should be thorough and serve as a significant resource. To this end, they should be at least 1000 words in length.

Specific Format: Please use the following as a general format for how your Plan will be structured. Use the Arial font as your default font and the font size as given parenthetically below - all section headings should be in bold face 16 pt font. A blank template will be distributed to students via email.

Common Name (14 pt): These usually vary geographically, so the same species could be confusingly known by many names - leading to disagreements as to what is really the name of a given species. For our purposes, use the most popular and most commonly used name first, and give any other names in parentheses after this one.
Scientific Name (14 pt): As with all scientific names, it should be italicized, with the Genus name capitalized and the specific name lowercase.

Classification (11 pt): Give the following taxa, in the following sequence: Phylum or Division, Class, Order, Family. If other levels in the Linnean Hierarchy should be included, include them in their place in the sequence. For example, in insects, Subfamily is a crucially important taxonomic level and should be included after Family in the sequence. Use level titles before the name (e.g., Family: Staphylinidae).

Identification (11 pt): Give the most important characteristics that would allow someone to differentiate it from other species living locally and other species that are closely related to it (e.g., congeneric species).

Original Distribution (11 pt): This refers to where the species was originally distributed before it was relocated. Be as specific as possible - not just "Asia", use Southeastern China, for example.

Site and Date of Introduction (11 pt): Be specific. If it has been introduced throughout a continent or even several continents, give area specifics - such as geographic region, states, or counties. Also, be thorough, if it has been introduced into other areas than the Eastern US, then say so.

Current Distribution (11 pt): Be specific. If it has been introduced throughout a continent or even several continents, give area specifics - such as geographic region, states, or counties. Also, be thorough, if it has been introduced into other areas than the Eastern US, then say so.

Mode(s) of Introduction (11 pt): How was it transported to the site(s) of introduction? How was introduced to the sites, if different?

Ecological Role (11 pt): Include the roles that it plays in the ecosystem. If it differs between the original location and in the areas in which it has been introduced, mention that. With what species does it frequently interact? What species pollinates, preys upon, is preyed upon by, or with whom the species that you are studying is symbiotic? Include those that have direct connections.

Reason(s) Why it has Become Established (11 pt): Why do you think it has been able to make it in the new areas? What are the ecological, evolutionary, or physiological correlates that may explain their success?

Benefit(s) (11 pt): Include both realized and potential benefits. Describe both the proximate and extended impacts on human endeavors. Extended benefits could include the augmentation of biodiversity, improvement of ecosystem processes, and beneficial esthetic changes.

Threat(s) (11 pt): Include both realized and potential threats. Describe both the proximate and extended impacts on human endeavors. Extended threats could include the loss of biodiversity, disruption of ecosystem processes, and negative esthetic changes.

Control Level Diagnosis (11 pt): Would you recommend that the species be controlled? Give a reason for your decision. Use one of the following designations:

"Highest Priority " - must be addressed immediately or else significant ecological destruction could occur due to projected rapid increase or massive projected negative impact
"Medium Priority" - should be addressed soon, as the population is increasing or the impact is getting larger and the species could soon be increased to Highest Priority
"Minimal Priority " - newly introduced, of little threat, or population has stabilized and is unlikely to increase
"Should not be Controlled " - species

Control Method (11 pt): Be specific. What has been done before? What has been proposed? What may have worked on phylogenetically or ecologically related species? Is there biological information known about closely related species that could be of use to this end? This needs to be proposed for all species, irrespective of the Control Level Diagnosis.