INVASIVE SPECIES: a Biological Wildfire
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INVASIVE SPECIES: a biological wildfire By Tom Stohlgren Geological Survey established the institute to develop a comprehensive plan for stomping out invasive species, to Resource managers throughout the country are quick provide national leadership, and to disseminate and syn- to realize that the ecological, economic, thesize up-to-date, accurate data and research from many sources. The insti- and human-health costs associated with The … Fort Collins invasions of nonnative species may be as tute applies a strategic approach to catastrophic as wildfire. Lightning-like Science Center … empha- information management, prevention, strikes have occurred, for example, in sizes invasive species as early detection, research and modeling, Haleakala National Park (Hawaii) in the one of the top eight technical assistance, and outreach. The form of avian malaria and Argentine newly built Fort Collins Science Center, ants, as Brazilian peppertree throughout USGS research focus Colorado, where the institute is based, the Everglades and kudzu in the South, a areas and one of the top coincided with organizational restruc- storm of tamarisk throughout south- environmental threats of turing that emphasizes invasive species as one of the top eight USGS research western parks and monuments, a lake the 21st century. trout from the Great Lakes in focus areas and one of the top environ- Yellowstone Lake, and a brown tree mental threats of the 21st century. snake in Guam. Moreover, flame-like spread of Dutch Staffs at the institute began by collect- elm disease, chestnut blight, white pine blister rust, and ing and synthesizing national databases on nonnative sudden oak death has devastated forests throughout the plants, nonindigenous fishes, birds, and wildlife diseases United States. Despite continuous new threats like West (table 1), including a systematic evaluation of the nation’s Nile Virus and the snakehead fish, Table 1. National databases for invasive species however, a coor- Group of Invasive Species Primary Investigator Program dinated effort to Nonnative plants John Kartesz Biota of North America Project battle invasive Nonindigenous fishes Pam Fuller USGS South Florida and Caribbean Science Center species has not Birds John Sauer Patuxent Wildlife Research Center occurred. Where Birds Bruce Peterjohn USGS Bird Conservation Node of the National is the “National Biological Information Infrastructure Interagency Fire Wildlife diseases Josh Dein USGS National Wildlife Health Center Center” for bio- logical wildfires when we need it? 530 or so wildlife refuges via electronic questionnaires The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is spearheading the sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Another development of such an interagency center. The USGS important aspect of the program is to improve predictive National Institute of Invasive models of invasions (or “ecological forecasting” models) Where is the Species Science at the Fort Collins with the help of sponsored research by NASA Goddard “National Science Center is an interagency Space Flight Center. We are developing predictive models for Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado), the Interagency consortium with nongovernmental partnerships that directly address- Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument (Utah), Fire Center” es invasive species issues on public and the Cerro Grande Fire area near Bandelier National for biological and adjacent lands. To predict and Monument (New Mexico). Other efforts include map- wildfires when reduce the harmful effects of non- ping the highest priority invasive weeds throughout native plants, animals, and dis- Colorado in partnership with the state, Colorado State we need it? eases in natural areas throughout University’s Agricultural Experiment Station, and county the United States, the U.S. weed coordinators. See “Biological Wildfire” in right column on page 70 VOLUME 22 • NUMBER 2 • FALL 2004 63 At North Cascades National Park Service Complex, the “Biological Wildfire” continued from page 63 distribution of northwestern salamanders is more limited than at Mount Rainier: No northwestern salamanders are To help manage the volume of information on nonnative found on the eastern side of the hydrologic divide of the species, we created the Invasive Species Information Node Cascades Range, and relatively few populations occur as part of the National Biological Information Infra- west of the divide because this is the easternmost extent structure—a broad, collaborative program to provide of their range. Thus, the long-toed salamander is able to increased access to data and information on the nation’s inhabit both deep and shallow lakes and ponds east of biological resources (see http://www.nbii.gov/). When fully the divide. West of the divide the same is true, except in operational, the Invasive Species Information Node will: the occasional deep lakes where northwestern salaman- • Evaluate the invasion of multiple biological groups ders occur. This widespread distribution means that the (and several invasive species) simultaneously, relative long-toed salamanders are more likely to be impacted by to habitat and ecosystem maps, land-use maps, and the introduced fish than the relatively uncommon north- “change detection” satellite information and models. western salamanders. This study underscores the importance of developing • Zoom in on particular states, parks, refuges, and natu- separate management strategies for each salamander ral areas by merging data sets from many sources into species based on its life history single, dynamic representations of the highest priority This study under- characteristics, habitat require- problem species and problem areas. scores the importance ments, and vulnerability to fish of developing impact. Resource managers • Access invasive species information and models on separate management need to be aware of the distri- local, state, regional, and national scales. strategies for each bution patterns of the salaman- • Quickly assess vulnerability to invasion, current inva- salamander species ders and introduced fish in the sions, potential spread of species, natural barriers to based on its life his- parks, especially as the distri- invasion, and the economic and ecological effects of tory characteristics, butions relate to lake size, invasive species. habitat requirements, depth, and habitat. Since the and vulnerability to National Park Service has The node will increase accessibility of data, accelerate fish impact. ended the stocking of lakes the sharing of information, and promote the use of pre- with fish almost entirely, the dictive modeling in developing strategic, proactive fish in some stocked lakes have become extinct. approaches to invasive species containment and control. However, fish still remain in lakes where they have Specifically for the National Park Service, we will assist in achieved a level of reproductive success. These are the evaluating local, regional, and national patterns of control lakes that should be of concern to managers when devel- efforts by the Exotic Plant Management Teams. Bymap- oping strategies for the maintenance of native larval sala- ping the location of target species in relation to derived mander populations, or strategies for the recovery and environmental data (e.g., slope, aspect, elevation, and restoration of sensitive and threatened native salamander community type), we will be able to quantify patterns of species. The removal of fish from lakes in areas where current invasion and probable distributions of priority these species occur could be an important management species, as well as assess the vulnerability of habitat types objective. For managers on other montane lands who to invasion. Immediately summarized data and models stock fish, knowing the distributions of native salaman- will help guide strategic control and restoration strategies. der species could influence which lakes are stocked. The core aspect of our work is sharing data and infor- Understanding how introduced fish impact aquatic mation, which will improve predictive modeling. Sharing ecosystems and how larval salamanders and other data and information promotes a proactive rather than amphibians are affected and respond to the presence of reactive approach to the management of invasive species. fish can help managers support and monitor the ecologi- The USGS National Institute of Invasive Species Science cal integrity of these ecosystems. and National Biological Information Infrastructure are committed to the long-term delivery of unbiased, scientific About the authors Gary Larson is research manager, USGS Forest and Rangeland data in support of resource management of public lands. Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon. He can be reached at [email protected]. About the author Tom Stohlgren is an ecologist with the USGS National Institute of Robert Hoffman is a senior faculty research assistant in the Department Invasive Species Science at the Fort Collins Science Center in Fort Collins, of Fisheries and Wildlife at Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon. He can Colorado. He can be reached at [email protected] or 970-491-1980. be reached at [email protected]. The institute’s Web site is http://www.niiss.org. S S 70 SCIENCE.