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An invasive species is a species not native to a particular location which can spread to a degree that causes damage to the environment, human economy or human health. [19] In 2008, Molnar et al. documented the pathways of hundreds of marine invasive species and found shipping was the dominant mechanism for the transfer of invasive species in ...
Specifically, biological pollution is the introduction of non-indigenous and invasive species, [1] otherwise known as Invasive Alien Species (IAS). When the biological pollution is introduced to an aquatic environment, it contributes to water pollution. Biopollution may cause adverse effects at several levels of biological organization:
Ballast water discharges are also believed to be the leading source of invasive species in U.S. marine waters, thus posing public health and environmental risks, as well as significant economic cost to industries such as water and power utilities, commercial and recreational fisheries, agriculture, and tourism. [2]
For example, the damage caused by 79 invasive species between 1906 and 1991 in the United States has been estimated at US$120 billion. Similarly, in China, invasive species have been reported to reduce the country's gross domestic product (GDP) by 1.36% per year. [109] [114] The management of biological invasions can be costly.
They are any biological species or group of species whose function, population, or status can reveal what degree of ecosystem or environmental integrity is present. [74] One example of a group of bio-indicators are the copepods and other small water crustaceans that are present in many water bodies. Such organisms can be monitored for changes ...
A sea otter eyes its lunch, one of two invasive European green crabs it was able to retrieve underwater. Photo taken in 2011 in Moss Landing, CA. Green crabs are originally from Europe and arrived ...
While marine pollution can be obvious, as with the marine debris shown above, it is often the pollutants that cannot be seen that cause most harm.. Marine pollution occurs when substances used or spread by humans, such as industrial, agricultural and residential waste, particles, noise, excess carbon dioxide or invasive organisms enter the ocean and cause harmful effects there.
Invasive species are defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as non-native to the specific ecosystem, and whose presence is likely to harm the health of humans or the animals in said system. [140] Introductions of non-native species into new areas have brought about major and permanent changes to the environment over large areas.