Europe's Flora is Becoming Impoverished

Summary: Many forests in Europe are suffering due to the introduction of invasive or nonnative species. Although the introduction of these species technically increases biodiversity, these species can easily take over native species. This can quickly lead to a homogeneous area, which is incredibly unhealthy. A lack of variation in a forested area means this area is more vulnerable to be harmed by changes in the environment. Scientists in Europe have been gathering “information on all known alien species across Europe” in hopes of learning more and coming up with a possible solution.

Personal Response: The problem of invasive species is not a new one. However, just recently we have discovered the extent of the damage these species can cause. Upon entering an area, many immediately begin to take over, killing off or simply overcrowding native species. Most of these invasive species also prevent any species but their own from thriving in the same area, by taking up all the available ground space, releasing a poison, etc. Ultimately, this leads to a homogeneous environment, which, like a lack of genetic diversity among animal species, has the potential to be extremely harmful. If an environmental change occurs, and there are not variations among the plants, the entire area can be killed off. This is due to a lack of those few resilient plants that are able to withstand the change and later reproduce. Continuing to gather information about invasive species and learning as much about the specific species (what climates they thrive in, what kills them, etc) is an important step in beginning to eliminate them. Complete elimination is highly unlikely in most places now, but we can begin to develop technologies (such as specific pesticides) that only target the invasive species, as well as depend the work of volunteers. Though it's a slow process, it's necessary in order to prevent a complete takeover by invasive species.

"Europe's flora is becoming impoverished." Science Daily: News & Articles in Science, Health, Environment & Technology. 11 Dec. 2009. Web. 13 Dec. 2009. .