Question

An invasive species is a non-native species that lives in a region. Human activity has accidentally or intentionally introduced many invasive species into ecosystems. Name two human activities that could contribute to the introduction of invasive species. Explain your response.

Answer 1

1. Intentionally taking species over to another place. Think smuggling animals over, you might think a squirrel is cute and bring it home from your trip to Paris back to the US. That squirrel can now be an invasive species. Don't be spiderman and take a banana on the plane!

2. Unintentionally carrying a species over. This can be on boat propellers, water tanks in boats, airplane wheels, etc. Getting animals stuck in transportation can become invasive.

Answer 2

Human travel can lead to an increased risk of invasive species. Native species—both animals and plants—can stow away on cars, trains, boats, and airplanes that bring them to another ecosystem. Climate change also can play a role. Human activity causes increased levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which in turn creates an increase in global temperatures. Because all species are adapted to a specific climate, climate changes can result in non-native species spreading into other ecosystems.

Step-by-step explanation: