Inquiry invasive species

摘要

What's the best thing to do about non-native plants and animals - eradicate them or accept them as part of our native wildlife? Stuart Blackman assesses the options for a range of alien invaders. It was discovered recently that, of the 99 species ofwinged insect inhabiting Gough Island, a remote outcrop in the South Atlantic, 71 are introduced. That's one established introduction for every three or four of the 233 human landings on the island since 1675, and a good example of just how adept humansare at spreading - either deliberately or accidentally- animals and plants around the world.