Passer domesticus

House sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a native bird from Europe and Asia and  is considered the most widely distributed wild bird in the world. This species was introduced in many regions and today is encountered in basically every continent such as Africa, Americas and Australia.

Figure 1 - Passer domesticus - Photo John White

House sparrow in Australia: P. domesticus was introduced in Australia between 1863 and 1870 from Britain in Victoria, but as a well adapted bird to urban areas this species has spread throughout eastern Australia. The success of this species is because the house sparrow is an opportunistic species which lives around the humans added to variable diet, P. domesticus eats insects, flower, bugs and fruits but the main compound of the diet of this species that characterize their adaptability are seeds and  scavenged food waste.

Distribution of P. domesticus in Australia.

In Brazil there are some beliefs about the introduction of this species. According to Ihering (1924) the major of Distrito Federal (which was Rio de Janeiro) in 1902-1906 ordered a group of house sparrow wishing increase the number of birds in the city. According to Camargo (1976) the idea was introduce the sparrow to combat some caterpillar species which destroyed the local trees. As happened in Australia this species spread fast around the country.

Distribution of P. domesticus in Brasil (The colour are Biomes and states separated by black line) 

In United States was not different in the early 1950's the House Sparrow was introduced in New York City, some European immigrants released this bird in their attempt to establish familiar species from their homeland and also to insect control. As happened in many places, this species has spread rapidly and had become established across the contiguous United States (Johnson & Violett, 2009). To sum up, this species is considered good as a potential pest controller but the effects of this species in native species is not calculable.

Distribution of P. domesticus in US.

References:

CAMARGO, Hélio F. Almeida - 1976 - Informação sobre o pardal. Suplemento Agrícola, O Estado de S. Paulo, 22 (1076):2, edição de 11 de janeiro.

IHERING, Rodolpho von - 1924 - Contos... de um Naturalista. Editora Brazão, S. Paulo, 189 pp., il.

Johnson, S. A., & Violett, H. (2009). Florida’s Introduced Birds: House Sparrow (Passer domesticus). Florida: University of Florida.

Weber, W.J. (1979) Health Hazards from Pigeons, Starlings and English Sparrows. Thomson Publications: Fresno, California.

Websites:

http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Passer-domesticus

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/pests-weeds/vertebrate-pests/pest-animals-in-nsw/sparrows

http://www.wikiaves.com.br/pardal

http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/htm96/map617/ra6882.html

Invasive Species?

Since I started to study the biological sciences and someone talks about invasive species I ask to myself some intriguing and philosophical questions "When some species can be consider invasive? When this species become adapted Species instead of invasive? Are humans invasive Species or adapted Species?"

According to Department of environment of Australian Government an invasive species is a species that occurs, resulted by human activities, beyond its distribution threatening valued environmental, agricultural or social. Richardson et. al (2000) defines introduction as meaning that the species has been transported by humans across a major geographical barrier and invasion requires that this species produces reproductive offspring in distant sites from introduction.

Figure 1 - Cane toad, considered one of the biggest threats to native Species in Australia.

Cane toads have becoming completely adapted to rainforest and environments where it was introduced. It is considered an invasive species because of the damage caused in native species and it is subject of hate by native population. Why this species that became totally adapted to a new environment should be destroyed as defended by some people? (Just to be clear: The species control is important and the Australian government do it well, despite being a way to fix a mistake committed by themselves).


Following the idea of invasive species as threatening species to environmental area and the production of reproductive offspring in distant sites. Would be humans an invasive species? or the idea of Invasive Species should always be related to humans dispersion? isn't it an egocentric vision?

Figure 2 - Human migration.

This map uses the terminology migration for human, even humans have had destroyed the environment wherever they went. The concept of invasive species is controversial related always to a vision where humans are on the outside. There is a big distance or a wall between Homo sapiens and the nature that shouldn't exist.

Last but not least, a video about awareness which bring the idea of Humans as invasive that destroy the nature but could do different:

Works used:

Colautti, R., & MacIsaac, H. (2004, March). A neutral terminology to define ‘invasive’ species. Diversity and Distributions, 10, 135-141.

Environment, D. (2014, May 17). Invasive Species. Retrieved from Australian Government: http://www.environment.gov.au/topics/biodiversity/invasive-species/

Richardson, D. M., Pyšek, P., Rejmánek, M., G., B. m., F.D., P., & C.J., W. (2000, March). Naturalization and invasion of alien plants: concepts and definitions. Diversity and Distributions, 6, 93-107.

Working for Water

 When introduced species obtain an effective establishment, the consequences on native species are diverse and most of the time unpredictable (Mack et al., 2000). The negative consequences of introduction of species associated with difficult prediction made invasive species as the second reason of biodiversity loss (Courtenay Jr. & Williams, 1992). However, there is a tug of war between the governmental areas, if the government invest much money in environmental causes for example, the money to other fields could be less than necessary (mainly in developing countries where the investment should be well thought, considering that there the money is not abundant).

Logo of Working for Water.

The program of the department of water and forests from South Africa created a program in 1996, which today is considered the biggest program related with control of invasive species, called Working for Water. This program employs people, helps in social development and pay for environmental services.

The government saw in one problem the solution for many others. Poverty, personal formation and social inequality are points which the program also works. The method of rotational vacancy makes people with experience and personal formation, considering that one person who start to work without experience starts to gain it at Working for Water and after years give the vacancy to a new untrained. Then, those that worked for Working for Water can work in other places/ lands, now with experience.


More information at Working for water website: http://www.dwaf.gov.za/wfw/

Or in this article that I didn't find author but it was essential to understand the program:
 http://www.unep.org/training/programmes/Instructor%20Version/Part_3/readings/WfW_case.pdf







Works cited:

Courtenay, W. R. & Williams, J.D. 1992. Dispersal of exotic species from aquaculture sources, with emphasis on freshwater fishes.

Mack, R., Simberloff, D., Lonsdale, M., Evans, H., Clout, M., & Bazzaz, F. 2000. Biotic invasions: causes, epidemiology, global consequences and control. Ecological Application 10, 689-710.

Fragile habitats to invasive species

The most isolated Island in the world - Bouvet Island
 (Photo: Dolph kessler)

Basically all habitats are endangered by the introduction of species but in fact there are some which are more fragile.

Islands - Generally, islands species have limited population because of the island capacity, the geographic distribution is also limited and these species are less adapted to new predators. In result of that, these vulnerable species have more chance to extinction (Vitousek, 1997).

In islands the species evolved extreme vulnerable habits without presence of predators. The introduction of common predators such as snakes, cats, lizards or rats can result in extinction of species as happened in Fernando de Noronha where the endemic Noronhomys vespuccii was extinct by invasive species.

Rivers and Lakes - The introduction of exotic animals in rivers or lakes can result in catastrophes. The introduction of Lates niloticus in Victoria's lake in Africa to develop the fishing industry had catastrophic results. Approximately 70% of native species in the lake were extinct or close to be extinct. In consequence of this, the main source of protein and food to those communities around the lake there is no longer (Ogutu- Ohwayo, 1990; Kaufman, 1992).

Fishing at lake Victoria in Africa.

Works Cited:

KAUFMAN, L. Catastrophic change in species-rich freshwater ecosystems: the lessons of Lake Victoria. BioScience, v. 42, p. 846, 1992. 

OGUTU-OHWAYO, R. The decline of the native fishes of lakes Victoria and Kyoga (East Africa) and the impact of introduced species, especially the Nile perch, Lates niloticus, and the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 27, p. 81–96. 1990. 

VITOUSEK, P. Diversidade e invasões biológicas de ilhas oceânicas. In: E. O. Wilson (Ed.), Biodiversidade. Rio de Janeiro: Nova Fronteira. 1997.

Economic impacts

I would like to write more about Fernando de Noronha but I saw some awesome articles showing the economic impacts of invasive/exotic species. As we know, "money moves the world" and now I will present some data that may make the eyes of investors and authorities around the world turn to the environment, considering that the ecological appeal does not always work.

Image found in Google Images

In 2005 in the United States some researchers estimated that more than 120 billion of dollars would be spent because of Invasive species (Pimentel et al., 2005).

In Brazil is estimated by the scientists that more than 42,6 billion of dollars is spent every year just related with algae, mites and invasive plants in crops (Pimentel et al., 2001).

Around the world the losses in agriculture were estimated in 248 billion of dollars per year (Bright, 1999), today this number can be biggest.

Actually, if we consider the money used to avoid disease propagation such as dengue these numbers are inestimable whereas they looked only at agriculture.




Works cited:

BRIGHT, C. Invasive species: pathogens of globalization. Foreign Policy Fall, v. 1999, p. 50–64, 1999.

PIMENTEL, D.; McNAIR, S.;, JANECKA, J.; WIGHTMAN, J.; SIMMONDS, C.; O’CONNELL, C.; WONG, E.; RUSSEL, L.; ZERN, J.; AQUINO, T.; TSOMONDO, T. Economic and environmental threats of alien plant, animal, and microbe invasions. Agriculture, Ecosystems e Environment, v. 84, p. 1–20, 2001.

PIMENTEL, D.; ZUNIGA, R.; MORRISON, D. Update on the environmental and economic costs 
associated with alien-invasive species in the United States. Ecological Economics, v. 52, 2005. 

Noronha and the Teju lizard

Salvador Merianae, Photo - David G. Barkasy

            This post is going to inform about the introduction of the Teju lizard (Tupinambis merianae) in Fernando de Noronha.

            The Tupinambis merianae (now know as Salvator merianae) is a Teiidae lizard. In South- eastern Brazil this large lizard is reported to prey on invertebrates and vertebrates, and to feed on carrion, fruits, and fungi (Kiefer and Sazima, 2002; Marques and Sazima 2004; Toledo, Prado and Andrade 2004; Maffei et al., 2009). Also, because of they size S. merianae is able to attack even large mammals (Sazima and Haddad, 1992; Martuscelli and Olmos, 1996; Cicchi, 2006). 

            In 1950s Noronha was used as  a military base and 2 couples of Teju were introduced in the Island trying to control the infestation of rats (That were also introduced). However, these lizards are diurnal animals and mice are active at night (Mathews & Brand, 2005).
           "The lizard found an abundant food supply, however, in the form of the eggs of seabirds nesting on the island. Its effect on ground-nesting birds was so severe that they were forced to move to smaller islands nearby. The combined impact of predation followed by a reduction in breeding space may well have caused a decline in the population of some bird species. In the meantime, the lizard population has steadily grown, and by 2004 was estimated at between 2 000 and 8 000 on the 17 km2 island" (Mathews & Brand, 2005).

            This example shows how unpredictable is the nature and how animals will behave in a new environment, this species has caused an incalculable damage to local fauna, such as birds and turtles.



Works Cited:

Cicchi, P.J.P. (2006): Tupinambis merianae (Tegu). Diet. Herpetological Review 37: 347.

Kiefer, M.C, Sazima, I. (2002): Diet of juvenile tegu lizard Tupinambis merianae (Teiidae) in southeastern Brazil. Amphibia-Reptilia 23: 105-108.

Maffei, F., Ubaid, F.K., Medolago, C.A.B., Jim, J. (2009): Tupinambis merianae (Common Tegu). Diet. Herpetological Diet. Herpetological Review 40: 439.

Marques, O.A.V., Sazima, I. (2004): História natural dos répteis da estação Ecológica Juréia-Itatins. In: Estação Ecológica Juréia-Itatins, p. 257-277. Marques, O.A.V., Duleba, W., Eds., Ribeirão Preto, Holos.

Mathews, S., Brand, K. (2005): South America invaded : the growing danger of invasive alien species / edited by Sue Matthews and Kobie Brand. 

Martuscelli, P., Olmos, F. (1996): Tupinambis teguixin (Common Tegu). Foraging. Herpetological Review 27: 21.

Olson SL  (1981)  Natural history of vertebrates on the Brazilian Islands of the Mid south Atlantic.  National Geographic Society Research Reports 13: 481-492.

Oren DC  (1984)  Resultados de uma nova expedição zoológica a Fernando de oronha.  Boletim do Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Zoologia 1: 19-44.

Sazima, I., Haddad, C.F.B. (1992): Répteis da Serra do Japi: notas sobre história natural. In: História Natural da Serra do Japi, p. 221-236. Morellato, L.P.C., Ed., Campinas, Editora da Unicamp/FAPESP.

Sazima, I., Haddad, C.F.B. (2003): Range of animal food types recorded for the tegu lizard (Salvator 
merianae) at an urban park in South-eastern Brazil. Herpetology Notes, volume 6: 427-430.

Toledo, L.F., Prado, C.P.A., Andrade, D.V. (2004): Tupinambis merianae (Tegu Lizard). Fungivory. Herpetological Review 35: 173-174.

Fernando de Noronha and the Vespucci's Rat

Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha.

         


       I'll start posting something in my comfortable zone. Let's talk about Fernando de Noronha and the impacts of non-native species there. Fernando de Noronha is a group of islands with no more than 2 thousand inhabitants and one of the most touristic places in the world.

• What happened in Noronha?

Cranium of Noronhomys vespuccii.

      In 1503, when the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci arrived in Noronha he may have seen a species that today is known as Noronhomys vespuccii, a enormous species of rat that today are extinct. After the first explorers introduced Mus musculus and Felis catus the population of Vespucci's Rat decreased drastically, years later with the introduction of Rattus rattus the competition became too wild and this species disappeared.

     The fossils of this species were found in 1973 and described by Carleton and Olson in 1999. The evolutionary history of this animals suggest that their ancestors were semi-aquatic animals and Carleton and Olson (1999) suggest that the characteristics were lost when the progenitors of the Vespucci's Rat became stranded on a small oceanic island. This new characteristic probably appeared because of the natural selection in a long process (maybe million of years), but the presence of invasive species destroyed it in centuries. 

        To sum up, the anthropogenic alteration is cruel mainly to native island species as Noronhomys vespuccii. Now, the effects of the most invasive species in the world, known as Homo sapiens is incalculable and the alterations in fragile ecosystems is deteriorating more and more the environment. 

Work cited (description of new genus and species):

Carleton, M.D. and Olson, S.L. 1999. Amerigo Vespucci and the rat of Fernando de Noronha: a new genus and species of Rodentia (Muridae, Sigmodontinae) from a volcanic island off Brazil's continental shelf. American Museum Novitates 3256:1–59.