Comenius - School Partnerships
30
Apr
Nature of introductions
A species is considered “introduced” when its transport into an area outside of its native habitat has been mediated by man. Introductions by humans may be either intentional or accidental. Intentional introductions are thought to be somewhat beneficial to humans , whereas unintentional or accidental introductions are most often the result of human movements such as immigrations and so on.
Intentional introduction
Species intentionally transported to new areas can subsequently become successfully established, for example by getting used to the new environment and by subsequent reproduction.Species are introduced into new regions mainly for economic reasons. Examples of species introduced for the purposes of benefiting agriculture, aquaculture or other economic activities are widespread:the Eurasian carp was first introduced to the United States as a potential food source,the apple snail was released in Southeast Asia with the intent that it be used as a protein source, and subsequently to places like Hawaiʻi to establish a food industry. In Alaska, foxes were introduced to many islands to create new populations for the fur trade. These examples represent only a small subsample of species that have been moved by humans for economic interests.
Unintentional introduction
Unintentional introductions take place when species are transported by human vectors. For example, three species of rat (the Black, Norway and Polynesian) have spread to most of the world as hitchhikers on ships. There are also numerous examples of marine organisms being transported in ballast water, one being the zebra mussel. Over 200 species have been introduced to the San Francisco Bay in this manner making it the most heavily invaded estuary in the world. Increasing rates of human travel are providing accelerating opportunities for species to be accidentally transported into areas in which they are not considered native. There is also the accidental release of the Africanized honey bees (AHB), known colloquially as “killer bees” or Africanized bee to Brazil in 1957 and the Asian carps to the United States.
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THE EUGANEAN HILLS (VENETO, ITALY)
Here are some examples of the alien invasive species which are found in our region, in the Euganean Hills, near Padua, in the north-east of Italy. These hills are peopled with many different animal and vegetable species, both native and non-native, which contribute to make them one of the most beautiful natural areas of Veneto.
Some alien species are:
VEGETATION
1. Domestic pine – tree (Pinus pinea) → they are found near the monastery
2. Black pine – tree ( Pinus nigra) → they are found near monastery
3. “Fitolacca” (Phytolacca americana)→ berries used for painting or colouring wine
4. Mulberry tree (Morus alba)→ introduced for growing
5. Mulberry of paper ( Broussonetia papyrifera)
6. “Cappero” (Capparis spinosa) → is found on the walls of “Villa Beatrice” and on the cliffs
7. “Robinia” (Robinia pseudoacacia) → is found in ex caves
8. “Ailanto” (Ailantus altissima) → the yellow colour is obtained from the wood
ANIMALS
1. Torpedo (Silurus glanis)
2. American turtle ( Trachemys scripta) → digs in the river edges
3. Wild boars (Sus scrofa) → cause problems to crops because they dig with their nose ruining them
4. “Gambusia” (Gambusia affinis) → introduced for eating the mosquito larvae.
Where do they come from?
The maritime pine and the black pine come from Africa. The Fitolacca comes from the eastern part of Asia. The mulberry and mulberry of paper come from east Asia. The people used mulberry to raise the silkworms and mulberry from paper to make paper. Capperi come from the Mediterranean regions. Robinia and Ailanto are two very weedy plants; the first comes from north America and the second from the tropical areas of Asia ;the grey boar is much bigger than the native one, and it was imported for hunting. The American turtle comes from north America. People want it because it is a very good pet. The torpedo was imported for hunting from east Europe. The Gambusia comes from the gulf of Mexico.
Written by the Italian team, class 2°G, “Pietro Scalcerle” secondary high school.
Padua, 30th April 2010
21
Apr
Every species has a role to play in its native ecosystem; some species fill large and varied roles while others are highly specialized. These roles are known as niches. Some invading species are able to fill niches that are not utilized by native species, and they also can create niches that did not exist.
When changes occur to ecosystems, conditions change that impact the dynamics of species interaction and niche development. This can cause once rare species to replace other species, because they now can utilize greater available resources that did not exist before, an example would be the edge effect. The changes can favor the expansion of a species that would not have been able to colonize areas and niches that did not exist before.
A detailed analysis of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, “Wildlife in a Changing World – an analysis of the 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ has just been published.
The IUCN analysis is published every four years. The report analyses 44,838 species on the IUCN Red List and presents results by groups of species, geographical regions, and different habitats, such as marine, freshwater and terrestrial.
Results from the report shows nearly one third of amphibians, more than one in eight birds and nearly a quarter of mammals are threatened with extinction. Overall, a minimum of 16,928 species are threatened with extinction.
There are 869 recorded extinctions, with 804 species listed as Extinct and 65 listed as Extinct in the Wild:
The threat of invasive species:
Written by Romanian team
4
Apr
Invasive alien species (IAS) are plants, animals, pathogens and other organisms that are non-native to an ecosystem, and which may cause economic or environmental harm or adversely affect human health. In particular, they impact adversely upon biodiversity, including decline or elimination of native species - through competition, predation, or transmission of pathogens - and the disruption of local ecosystems and ecosystem functions.
Invasive alien species, introduced and/or spread outside their natural habitats, have affected native biodiversity in almost every ecosystem type on Earth and are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. Since the 17th century, invasive alien species have contributed to nearly 40% of all animal extinctions for which the cause is known (CBD, 2006).
The problem continues to grow at great socio-economic, health and ecological cost around the world. Invasive alien species exacerbate poverty and threaten development through their impact on agriculture, forestry, fisheries and natural systems, which are an important basis of peoples’ livelihoods in developing countries. This damage is aggravated by climate change, pollution, habitat loss and human-induced disturbance.
Preventing new invasions is the most efficient approach to addressing this threat, followed by quickly detecting and eradicating or containing new IAS that do become established. New invasions should be treated as urgent problems because although they can be eliminated or contained with relatively small efforts, they will cause far greater damage and become increasingly expensive and perhaps impossible to control if they are allowed to expand.
Web resources:
25
Jan
The results of the Copenhagen Conference were unsatisfactory.
In fact it was an nonexistent accord, not binding at the political and legal
level as the EU Environment Minister says: “It was a disaster, a big failure
from which we must all learn”. What has been established brought just problems.
They had to give to the developing countries 30’000’000$ from 2010 to 2012
amounting to 100’000’000$ by 2020. Unfortunately, the treaty, doesn’t specify
who should donate this money. Moreover the figure seems out of reach, because
Europe is committed to give 2,4 billions euros in the next three years.
The deal between the USA and the most important Developing Countries provides
that:
- all countries must commit to take the necessary measures to keep
global warming under 2,0°C
- the responsibility of the greenhouse effect will be divided unevenly
between the first and second industrialized countries as in the Kyoto Protocol
- from January each country must make public its’ reduction targets of
greenhouse gas emissions
- a real climate agreement must be reached by the end of 2010
- the next UN conference on climate change will be in Mexico in November
of 2010
It was decided that both rich countries and Developing Countries (as China and
India) must decrease CO2emissions, indeed a UN study said that, with these
proportions, the CO2 emissions should bring a temperature increase of 2,0°C,
which would put in danger 170 million flood victims and 550 million victims
because of the resulting problems. In fact they have expected, but not
subscribed as an accord, cuts of 80% in the emissions by 2050. But these are the
questions: Are the cuts based on the current production or on those predicted
for 2050? How will they divide it in time?
But the accord was impeded by China, who doesn’t want controls on CO2
emissions in its territory, invisibly supported by theU.S.A which will limit
its’ emissions by only 17% by 2020.
At the end of this conference only two countries, China and India, among all the
countries attending, found it positive. Why weren’t they able to reach a valid
agreement and a common target?
Pietro, Rudy, Eleonora & Mattia (2^G form) for the Italian version
Gloria,Irene & Marta (2^F form) for the English version
25
Jan
“Please, save the World”. This is how the Climate Conference in Copenhagen (from
7 to 18 December 2009) began. A short video opened the ceremony, which showed a
group of children in a future apocalyptic scene, where the desert earth was
afflicted by storms. This is a provocation but if we don’t take action it will
really happen.
Even with the fears and the rumors about the participants that canceled at the
last minute the Danish capital hosted about 15,000 participants in the Bella
Center Convention Center (many were left out because there weren’t enough seats)
representing 192 Northern States, with two common objectives: find an agreement
to reduce green house gas Emissions and find the money necessary for the
assistance or the clean technologies for the poor countries.
To open the Conference was the Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen; the
Mayor of Copenhagen Ritt Bjerregaard and the President of the Ingovernmental
Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) as well as the Nobel Peace Prize (2007)
Rajendra Pachauri!
“All the world is watching with hope to the Copenhagen Summit with auspice that
dealers’ climate save the humanity” said Rasmussen, who looks with optimism to
the Congress.
“The Meeting wouldn’t be a success if it didn’t start with a significant sign
the same day on which the work would be completed”. This was said by the number
one of ONU, Yvo de Boer, who launched an appeal to concentrate on climate
change.
Nicola, Giulia & Francesco (2^G form) for the Italian version
Camilla, Mattia, Valentina & Nicolò (2^F form) for the English version
18
Dec
Climate change is the modification of the climate in a regional or global range. Those changes are produced in different periods of time. They can be caused either by nature or by humans. The term is often used to refer only to the climate change in the present, as a synonym of global warming, although this is the change of the climate due to human causes. The changes produced by nature forces can be called natural change of the climate. It can be a change in weather conditions such as temperature, rain, or wind or a change in the frequency of extreme weather events such as hurricanes.
To stop it we can recycle, avoid the pollution of rivers and oceans and we must try to reduce the gas emissions to the atmosphere.
Toghether we can do it.
Alba.
8
Dec
COPENAGHEN CLIMATE SUMMIT
The Elders are a group of eminent global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela. They include Kofi Annan, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson and Desmond Tutu.
In an inspiring personal letter (PDF), The Elders have urged 192 world leaders to attend the Copenhagen climate talks in person and to reach a fair, ambitious, effective and binding agreement to reduce emissions and build a low-carbon, and sustainable future for us all.
Here’s an excerpt from the letter:
A few weeks ago, as you can see from photographs posted on www.theElders.org, we joined forces with thirteen of our grandchildren from Asia, Africa, Europe and the United States to remind the world of the risks of climate change to future generations. Like all young people, our grandchildren expect today’s leaders to take responsibility for delivering a low-emission, sustainable future: one that requires shared commitment, based on common but differentiated responsibilities.
The agreement reached in Copenhagen must have climate justice at its heart. It is a tragic irony that the world’s least developed countries have contributed less than 2 percent of the greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, yet are most vulnerable to climate change and least able to protect their people. We have had the opportunity to meet small farmers and indigenous leaders from the poorest countries, many of whom are women, who tell us that changing weather patterns are already putting increasing pressure on water, food and land.
The letter lays out some specific details of a legally binding agreement on climate change. Among others, these requirements include a 2 degree Celsius target as the outer limit of global temperature increase, a reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by the year 2050, and a commitment from developed nations to cut emissions of 25-40% by 2020, and 80-95% by 2050, relative to levels in 1990.
The Elders are getting fully behind our next global day of action on the weekend of December 12.
2
Dec
Denmark will host the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) taking place at Bella Center in Copenhagen from the 7th to the 18th of December, 2009.
The world is facing a major challenge - Climate Change threatens to change the lives of people everywhere. We can not continue using fossil fuels the way we do today. Scientists have laid out the risks we face and it has become clearer than ever that now is the time to take serious action on climate change. If we do not act today, the opportunity will not only slip out of our hands but it will also become much more expensive to carry out the necessary low-carbon transition in the future.
To learn more about COP 15 and climate change, how it will affect our world, and individual actions you can take to help stop it, you can go to:
10
Nov
Will it bee impossible to travel in the future? Can’t we fly to friends that we have met in other countries because of the pollutions that we have damage. Or is it really we who have done this? The question is how much damage can a seventeen year old boy or girl have done?
We have no driving license, can’t afford travelling and nearly every day we hear something about the environment. But how is it about your generation? You are the one that have been travelling around the world, you are the one with driving license and you have know about this problem long before we were born. We are the future, and that is truth, but how can we take over a world and make it to a good place if you live it like this? Of course there is always people that cares no matter, but your generation have been on our planet fore a longer time the us, you wants us to write what we want to change, but what kind of solutions have you in your one mind?
Is it impossible to improve a fuel that don’t harm our world and that is not so expensive? And even if this is possible, can you buy yourself out of responsibility? Will it be like today, nations whit money are able to buy rights to release carbon dioxide from other countries just because they are rich. Should this be the main reason, money? Then we did our journey to the Azores we didn’t think about money or where we were from, we did a project together to do what we could to learn people what we knew, gave each other advice and did it together.
We think we should do this together, we need to cooperate and work together, all countries together. If we continue like we do today it is not possible to make the world a better place. Otherwise it will bee we and them. It should just be WE, all together, no matter which country you are from. We need to find a fuel that makes it possible to live with the nature and to live together, whiteout damages.
Johanna Andersson
Malte Grahm
Louise Eriksson