Invasive Species Essay

Invasive species have a very negative effect on the native species in an area. They can cause a variety of problems from competition for food resources to introducing a new disease that the native species is not immune to. Larval amphibians do not have the defenses to handle introduced predators such as fish in their environment. Therefore introducing fish into these once safe and fish-free water sources will have a huge effect on amphibian population (Wells 825). Reversal of theses introductions have proven to be impossible very often as well. In 1935 there was an introduction of a species of toad, the cane toad, into Australia. The range of this toad has expanded to reach much of the tropical habitat in Australia. They are very large reaching …show more content…
California is a major spot for amphibian declines as it has a broad range on environments including temperate rainforest. A native species, the California red-legged frogs, has been greatly affected by the introduction of American bullfrogs. Experiments show that American bullfrogs prey on the young of this species. The California red-legged frog is extinct to 70% of its original area (Doubledee et al. 2003). Invasive species have a large effect on both temperate and tropical forests and the ability of their native species to …show more content…
There is not much exploration in the relationship between habitat loss and disease when it comes to studying declines. In a study by Becker and Zamudio (2011), they showed the associations between habitat loss and factors of disease. These factors include occurrence, prevalence, and infection intensity. The disease that was chosen was from a chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). They studied the effects on amphibian populations in tropical regions. Habitat loss lowers species diversity by reducing natural habitats which increases population isolation and edge effects. There is also a shift in the ecosystem due to disturbances which can alter susceptibility to