Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Two unanswered questions I have

1. I'm very sensitized to invasive species in North America. Zebra muscles are over-cleaning the Great Lakes, Emerald Ash Borers have stolen my most beloved trees from Southeast Michigan, English Sparrows and Starlings swarm my birdfeeder and Garlic Mustard is outcompeting our fragile native spring wildflowers. But surely the invasives exchange isn't one-way. What North American species are naughty invasives elsewhere in the world?

2. When I ride the bus to work, it often has less than five riders. At what number of riders is the carbon output of a huge bus less than the combined output of individual autos if each rider drove her or his own vehicle?

Just curious.

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5 Comments:

Blogger Bekah said...

Here's one from Central and South America which is afflicting Australia:

Cane toads-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_toad

Can't wait to hear an answer to your second question. Unfortunately, where I live, bus riding is nonexistent and would be completely unworkable. Children aren't even bused to school.

7:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Doulicia, thanks for your encouraging words on running. Glad to know if can be done with the jogging stroller and cranky toddler. :-)

I wonder about the bus thing too. I also wonder when is it okay to spend thousands of extra dollars on a hybrid bus, when the bus will wear out before the savings in gas will be made up (something going on near us). I know it's better for the environment, but it's costing the tax payers big time.

9:23 AM  
Blogger Sandy D. said...

Raccoons, Canadian geese, and grey squirrels are all wreaking havoc in Europe. And tons of wees & wildflowers (like those pretty New England asters, the purple fall flowers with the yellow centers).

http://biology.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0040279

1:52 PM  
Blogger Sandy D. said...

That would be 'weeds' in my last comment. And here's a clickable link:

Alien Invasive Species

They call them "AIS" =alien invasive species, so if you look for that acronym in a particular country, you'll get lots of lists.

Since the colonization of people was mainly from Europe/Asia/Africa to the Americas, and not so much the other way, I would guess more plants & animals came with people. But especially in the last century, with easier travel & trade, new species are getting everywhere.

I don't think that poison ivy has made it to the Old World. That would be something I would bet they would not be happy to have there.

1:59 PM  
Blogger Sandy D. said...

I've always wondered about the bus thing, myself.

I came back to add goldenrod & ragweed to the list of "dangerous invasives" in Europe. And Jerusalem artichokes, which made me laugh for some reason.

5:27 PM  

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