On Monday, October 28, 2013 scientists documented the first
cases of Asian carp successfully breeding in rivers connected to the Great
Lakes. The three main types of Asian carp that are invading the waterways are:
grass, bighead, and silver carp. The carp were initially brought to America to
control algae and other plants in sewage treatment lagoons. Asian carp are not
from North America and compete with the native species for food and habitat.
The bighead and silver carp are the most dangerous to the ecosystem because
they eat massive amounts of plankton, which play a key role in the food chain.
A consequence of these quickly breeding carp species taking
off would be the elimination of native fish populations. This could hurt the $7
billion fishing industry of the Great Lakes. The Obama administration has spent
$200 million on protective measures, such as electricity gated waterways
between the Mississippi River (which is full of carp) and Lake Michigan. The
amount of carp in the Great Lakes may be higher than scientists originally
thought. New equipment is being created to determine if rivers are suitable for
carp breeding.
The article was factual and informative. It was to the point
and did not use any analogies, metaphors or similes to reinforce its topics. The
conversation like syntax as well as the clear, simple diction made it easy to
follow and understand. The organization was key to this article. It started
with background information, followed by the issues of invasive carp, what is
being done to control them, and what the future looks like. Judging by the
style of the article, it is meant to quickly inform the public of the invasive
carp situation that looms.
Growing up next to Lake Superior has allowed me to hear
about other invasive species scares throughout years, such as lampreys, zebra mussels,
and many more. I think all of these invasive species invasions should be taken
very seriously because our food chain/ecosystem is not made to control these
invasive species from growing out of control. I would hate to see native
species go extinct because humans transported species here in non-natural ways.
Questions
1. The article mentions permanently cutting off the
waterway that connects the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan as an invasive
carp solution. Should humans have the right to cut off/reroute natural rivers
just so species cannot travel into the Great Lakes? Why or Why not?
2. In the news you often hear about new invasive
species. Are there any cases where humans should not interfere with invasive
species and let them proliferate? Explain.
3. If you caught/found an invasive species, what
would you do with it? Does it depend on what the organism is?