Invasive Species in NC

Eric AngatTeacher

1. What are invasive species?2. What are some of the invasive species in North

Carolina?3. How do fire ants cause economic problems?4. How do the Feral hogs cause ecological and economic

problems?5. Why was Kudzu introduced in the United States?6. How can Kudzu cause deforestation? Think!7. How can the flathead catfish ruin the food chain in

lakes and rivers? Think!8. How do the insect Hemlock Wooly Adelgid kill

evergreens trees?9. Why are North Carolina Marshlands important?10.Why is the Nutria ( mammal) considered an invasive

species? Think!

Fire Ant

Feral Hogs

Kudzu

Flathead catfish

Hemlock Wooly Adelgid

Nutria

A marshland is a type of wetland, an area of land where water covers ground for long periods of time. Unlikeswamps, which are dominated by trees, marshes are usually treeless and dominated by grasses and otherherbaceous plants.

Marshlands or wetlands prevent flooding by holding water much like a sponge. By doing so, wetlands help keep river levels normal and filter and purify the surface water. Wetlands are also water reservoir.

Watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyuZ1nywA98

Invasive Species are non-native species that causes ecological and economic problems.

1. What are invasive species?2. What are some of the invasive species in North

Carolina?3. How do fire ants cause economic problems?4. How do the Feral hogs cause ecological and economic

problems?5. Why was Kudzu introduced in the United States?6. How can Kudzu cause deforestation? Think!7. How can the flathead catfish ruin the food chain in

lakes and rivers? Think!8. How do the insect Hemlock Wooly Adelgid kill

evergreens trees?9. Why are North Carolina Marshlands important?10.Why is the Nutria ( mammal) considered an invasive

species? Think!

1. The Fire Ants are from the Brazilian rainforest. They are now causing problems in agriculture, destroying crops and killing live stocks.

2. The Feral Hogs are from Europe and Asia. It has a voracious apetite that destroys habitat. The feral hog is carrier of a virus like the one that cause leptospirosis. They pose danger to local swines and human beings.

3. Kudzu originated from China and Japan. It was introduced in the United States to fight erosion. It is however causing problem because it is spreading so rapidly. Kudzu overtakes power lines and covers trees that leads to deforestation.

4. The Flathead catfish originated from the Mississipi river. The Flathead consumes native fish in NC rivers. This causes the food chain to collapse.

5. The insect Hemlock Wooly Adelgid was from Japan. This insect kills evergreens by laying eggs and sucking the plant fluids from the needles of trees.

6. The Nutria was introduced from South America. This mammal destroys the marshlands of North Carolina.

1. What are invasive species?

2. What are some of the invasive species in North Carolina?

3. How do fire ants cause economic problems?

4. How do the Feral hogs cause ecological and economic problems?

Non-native species that damage the local food chain. Invasive species cause ecological and economic damage.

Fire ants, feral hog, kudzu, Flathead catfish, Hemlock Wooly Adelgid , and nutria

Fire ants destroys crops and kill livestocks.

They can transmit diseases to local swines and to human beings.

5. Why was Kudzu introduced in the United States?

6. How can Kudzu cause deforestation? Think!

7. How can the flathead catfish ruin the food chain in lakes and rivers? Think!

8. How do the insect Hemlock Wooly Adelgid kill evergreens trees?

Kudzu was introduced to control erosion.

Kudzus covers trees and deprive them of sunlight.

Flathead catfish eats young local fish.

They suck plant juices that kills evergreens.

9. Why are North Carolina Marshlands important?

10. Why is the Nutria ( mammal) considered an invasive species? Think!

They filter water, act as water reservoir, habitat for many wildlife.

They burrow or dig to much and destroy marshland plants.