#nisaw

[noaasanctuaries]

Meet two invasive species in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Invasive species are organisms that cause ecological or economic harm in environments where they have been introduced. They can make their way to ocean and Great Lakes ecosystems through the ballast water of oceangoing ships, intentional and accidental releases of aquaculture species, aquarium specimens or bait, and other means.

[usfwspacific]

Do You Have What It Takes?

Johnston Atoll National Wildlife Refuge is 750,000 square miles from anywhere.

More than 15 species of birds rely on the refuge for safe nesting sites, including three species of boobies, sooty terns, greyback terns, red-tailed and white-tailed tropic birds, greater frigatebirds and several species of shorebirds. 

Other than the birds, the only residents of the island are small teams of volunteers who are working to save the birds from invasive species.

Johnston Atoll National Wildlife Refuge provides one of the only rat free, safe nesting places for seabirds and shorebirds in the Pacific Remote Islands. Or it did,  before the yellow crazy ants invaded.

Yellow crazy ant swarm a red-tailed tropic bird. Photo credit: Stefan Kropidlowski/USFWS

Yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) were most likely brought to the island unintentionally by humans. When the ants arrived on Johnston Atoll they quickly began to spread and wreak havoc on the thousands of nesting seabirds.

When yellow crazy ants invade, their numbers increase to such a high density they swarm and overrun anything in their path. Seabirds nesting on the ground are vulnerable to these swarms.  The ants spray formic acid onto the birds and chicks which causes severe damage to the birds’ eyes ranging from swelling to blindness.

In 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service started a project to eradicate yellow crazy ants from Johnston Atoll NWR.Crews of staff and volunteers would travel to Johnston Atoll for six months at a time to eradicate the ants and protect the seabirds. 

The Crazy Ant Strike Teams were born!

Crew of Cast XIV

Building upon the eradication efforts of CAST crews before them, each crew works towards a goal of complete eradication of Yellow Crazy Ants.

 Since 2010, the ants have been reduced by over 98%.  

 CAST crews also work to restore the natural habitat of Johnston Atoll. The crews propagate three native plant species (Scaevola taccada, Cordia subcordata, and Tournefortia argentea) caring for them first in the nursery then in the hardening area and finally as out plantings in the refuge.

The crews may give up 8 months of their lives, communication with friends and family, and fresh food, but they gain a life changing experience and the chance to help save sea birds for future generations. 

See Johnston Atoll National Wildlife Refuge through the eyes of CAST XIV crew member Peter...

Do You Have What It Takes?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument) is seeking four (4) volunteers available from November 5, 2018, through late-June 2019 to work at Johnston Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. This expedition is an expansion of the Crazy Ant Strike Team project. A major goal of the work effort remains the eradication of the Yellow Crazy Ant (YCA), Anoplolepis gracilipes, but a greater emphasis is now being placed on seabird and other biological resource monitoring.   

For more information please read the position description.

[usfwspacific]

Invasive European Green Crabs Found in the Wa’atch and Tsoo-Yess Rivers

Blogger’s note: This article originally appeared in the Kitsap Sun and was written by by Adrianne Akmajian, Marine Ecologist, Makah Fisheries Management

Photo: Reggie Buttram (left) and Joe MacDonald (right) of Makah Fisheries Management retrieving European green crab from traps in the Wa’atch River on October 5th, 2017

Trapping results

On October 4th – 6th, the Makah Fisheries Management Department led an effort to detect invasive European green crab (Carcinus maenas) in the Wa’atch and Tsoo-Yess rivers. This effort was organized after a confirmed report of the invasive crab was reported to the Makah Tribe by Washington Sea Grant (WSG) Crab Team and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Program. In late August, a member of the public found and photographed a European green crab in the intertidal near the Wa’atch River mouth and reported the sighting to the WSG Crab Team. After this initial report, staff from the Fisheries Department conversed with experts from the WSG Crab Team, WDFW AIS Program, and US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) AIS Program to get advice on how to respond.

Based on guidance from these agencies, the Fisheries Department decided that a rapid effort to set traps for the invasive crabs would be crucial to begin to assess the extent of crab infestation on the Makah Reservation. WSG Crab Team assisted the Fisheries Department in selecting locations of where to set traps for the crabs using aerial imagery of the Wa’atch and Tsoo-Yess river valleys to look for the green crab’s preferred habitat – side channels off the main river with soft mud bottoms, undercut banks, and salt water exposure. A date for the initial trapping effort was set, and traps, trapping gear, and bait were provided to the Tribe by WDFW and delivered to the Fisheries Office by a staff member from USFWS. Over this three-day effort, a total of 13 staff from the Fisheries Department as well as one staff member from USFWS and a volunteer of Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge assisted with this effort.

On October 4th, a total of 79 traps (a mix of minnow traps and Fukui traps) were set in the Wa’atch River between Wa’atch Point and Second Bridge (73 traps) and at the mouth of the Tsoo-Yess River (6 traps). Traps were checked on the 5th and 6th, native species were released, and green crabs were retained for euthanasia. All green crab were photographed and data was collected on their size, sex, and condition. In total, we captured 34 European green crabs, 22 males and 12 females, found both in the Wa’atch and Tsoo-Yess rivers. Crabs ranged in size approximately 1 – 3 inches, indicating that the crabs were most likely from the 2016 and 2017 brood classes and that the larger individuals could reproduce.  

Photo: Map showing the trap placements (left) and locations and number of European green crabs caught (right) in the Wa’atch and Tsoo-Yess Rivers

How worried should we be?

European green crab are excellent invaders, tolerating a wide range of conditions including temperatures from 0-35° C (32-95° F), salinity from 4-54 ppt (seawater is 35 ppt), and low oxygen conditions including extended periods of time outside of water. Green crab are predators of native bivalves and can outcompete native juvenile Dungeness crabs for habitat and food resources and lead to decline of native shore crabs. Green crab can also impact important shoreline habitat by burrowing into the mud and disrupting eel grass beds. If populations of green crab are not controlled, they could potentially impact important natural resources and habitats on the Reservation.

While our capture of 34 green crab is more than we expected to find, it is lower than the number of crabs caught in other locations. The first sightings of green crab in Washington were in 1998 in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor; in the first year, over 300 green crabs were captured and by 2003 over 1000 crabs had been captured . On Vancouver Island, although green crab were first reported in 1999, dedicated surveys for the crab did not begin until 2006. From 2006-2008, thousands of green crab were caught from Barkley Sound west to Winter Harbor. When populations are small, they are easier to control and we plan to begin aggressive trapping for green crabs in 2018 to reduce and ideally eradicate the populations from the Reservation.

 Next steps…

Beginning next spring through early fall, we plan to begin aggressive trapping in the Wa’atch and Tsoo-Yess rivers and to commence some exploratory trapping inside of Neah Bay. At this time, the Fisheries Department is currently applying for funding to purchase our own set of trapping equipment. We hope to hire at least one student intern to assist with this project and gain hands on experience working in the field and collecting data. We will also be recruiting volunteers who are able to assist with trapping 1-2 times per month from April through September. We will provide training for volunteers on how to identify the invasive green crab and other native species that we might catch, how to set the traps, and on what data to collect. If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact the Marine Ecologist at the contact info provided below.

 How can you help?

The Fisheries Department is requesting that community members report sightings of European green crab. To report a sighting, please include:

- Photograph of the crab

- Date, time, and location

- Details of the sighting including whether the crab was alive, dead, or a molt, an estimate of size of the crab, and sex

-Please only remove or collect molts (empty shell) or dead crabs

- For live crabs, please confirm the sighting with a staff member from the Fisheries Department who will provide further instructions

 Please report your sightings to the Makah Fisheries Department via the Marine Ecologist: Adrianne Akmajian at [email protected] or [phone], [phone]

More information about the European green crab can be found online by visiting https://wsg.washington.edu/crabteam/greencrab/ or http://wdfw.wa.gov/ais/carcinus_maenas/ or by contacting the Marine Ecologist using the contact info above.

References:

1.   Klassen, G. and A. Locke. 2007. A biological synopsis of the European green crab, Carcinus maenas. Can. Manuscr. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. no. 2818: vii+75pp.

2.   McDonald et al. 2001. The competitive and predatory impacts of the nonindigenous crab Carcinus maenas (L.) on early benthic phase Dungeness crab Cancer magister Dana. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 258:39–54

3.   de Rivera, C.E. et al. 2011. Multiple and long-term effects of an introduced predatory crab. Mar Ecol Prog Ser, 429, 145–155.

4.   WDFW Aquatic Invasive Species webpage on Carcinus maenas (European Green crab): http://wdfw.wa.gov/ais/carcinus_maenas/

5.   Gillespie, G. and A. Phillips. 2009. Large-scale Trap Surveys for European Green Crab, Carcinus maenas, in British Columbia. http://www.aquaticnuisance.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/2008%20Trap%20Surveys%20in%20BC%20(Gillespie).pdf

[lauriera]

It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week! 👉 Friday, March 4th – US Firewood Rules, Certifications, and Recommendations. 📲 Get registered at https://naisma.org/events/ 🌳 Learn more and get involved at www.nisaw.org 🌿 Locally, join the #WeedWarriors Program through @recnparks 🌱@marylanddnr: Invasive Species of Concern in Maryland http://mdinvasives.org/species-of-concern/terrestrial-plants/ Invasives are not just plants! https://dnr.maryland.gov/Invasives/Pages/default.aspx Full captions at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/205857543250759/permalink/1320906755079160/ #InvasiveSpeciesWeek #NISAW #invasivespecies #noxiousweeds #StopAquaticHitchhikers @play.clean.go Don't Let It Loose @usgs #DontMoveFirewood #greencrab #climatechange https://www.instagram.com/p/Car_X3Ou0qn/?utm_medium=tumblr

[artbypizzaface]

Another #invasiveplant - #PurpleLoosestrife! Posting these as a #throwback to my old #invasivespecies postcard series in honor of #InvasiveSpeciesAwarenessWeek. See the whole series at artbypizzaface.net/work . . . nisaw.org #plants #invasives #invasion #flower #biology #botany #bio #biologicalmenace #NationalInvasiveSpeciesAwarenessWeek #NISAW #popart #postcards #science #design #artbypizzaface #ecosystems #ecology

[usfwspacific]

Gone with the Wind: Using Experimental Enclosures at Windmill Pond for Invasive Species Research at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

Blogger’s note: Katey Strailey is presently a Student Conservation Association intern currently working with the Quantitative Ecology & Technology Program at Abernathy Fish Technology Center in Longview, WA. Our hardworking interns have some pretty cool experiences during their time with the Service are often inspired to write about them. Be sure to catch up on the rest of the series by reading the other Intern Adventures!

Photo: Sunset at the Marshall Pond near the headquarters of Malheur NWR.

It’s a quiet evening in late September, and as the sun sinks below the horizon, it bathes the sky in warm tones that make me forget how cold it is. It’s our second fishing attempt of the trip, and our last shot before we leave. Just beneath the surface of the water, we can see the splashing made by our target fish; the pond is stuffed with them. When the light has almost faded, we resign ourselves to another fruitless try and prepare to head out- until I feel a tug on my line. With a quick jerk to set the hook in its mouth, I reel in my catch- the first fish I have ever caught. It’s not a prized sportfish, nor is it something I want to take home and throw on the barbecue. It’s a common carp.

Photo: I help Malheur NWR fish biologist Joe Barnett complete a safety check before we take the airboat out on Malheur Lake. With water at just a couple feet deep, airboats are the best way to get around on the lake.

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1908 to provide habitat for migrating birds (particularly waterfowl). At its heart sits 77 square mile Malheur Lake, which serves as an important rest stop on the Pacific Flyway, serving countless birds on their annual migrations along the west coast of the Americas. But now, this invaluable place is threatened by an invader- carp, accidentally introduced to the lake sometime in the early 20th century. As bottom feeders, carp stir up muck from the bottom of water bodies, damaging water quality and uprooting the plants that migrating birds feed on. Multiply that by the estimated 50 million carp in Malheur Lake, and you have a problem.

Video: A time lapse of experimental enclosures in Windmill Pond at Malheur NWR

That’s where I come in. As part of a joint team between the Refuge and Abernathy and with additional help from the FWS Fisheries office in Vancouver, WA, I ventured from southwestern Washington to southeastern Oregon to set up the bones for a new experiment- those bones being 21 large enclosures in a man-made pond. Built with actual blood and sweat (though not tears), these enclosures will hold carp in different densities. Our goal? Determine the density at which plants can survive and water quality isn’t diminished. With 50 million carp, the chance of complete eradication is incredibly slim- this project will allow us to set a realistic management goal for Refuge staff to aim for in the lake. When summer comes, we’ll stock the enclosures with carp and the experiment will begin.

Photo: An adult male coho smiles for the picture! In the fall and winter, coho salmon and steelhead are diverted into Abernathy’s holding pond on their way upstream to spawn.

Our project at the Refuge is a prime example of how varied and collaborative my work at Abernathy is. I’ve been fortunate enough to work on projects that have bring me across the Pacific Northwest, projects that cross boundaries between scientific fields. Most days, I’m able to do a little bit of everything. In the morning, I may help at our weir, cataloguing the adult salmon and steelhead that pass through on their way upstream in Abernathy Creek. By the afternoon, I may be preparing to analyze lipid samples from our hatchery fish, to see if their diet is having a demonstrable effect on their bodies. Maybe I’ll be helping to construct PIT tag antennas, to help track juvenile steelhead, lamprey, or even frogs. Every day is different, and with each comes the opportunity to better myself and learn something new. For a young, aspiring scientist, these opportunities are everything.

[fwff-blog1]

Guest editorial: The science behind invasions

By Jack Payne

[email protected]

@JackPayneIFAS

A snake so voracious it can swallow a fully-grown deer prowls the Everglades.

An insect’s arrival in Florida seemed innocuous enough until the discovery that it carries a fungus that kills avocado trees.

A spiny newcomer to Florida is eating fish that could have been on your plate, and it is wreaking havoc on coral reefs that are crucial to supporting underwater life and the economy back on shore.

These are invasions by species that are not native to Florida. The Burmese python, the red bay ambrosia beetle and the lionfish are considered invasive species because they are non-native species that also cause environmental or economic damage.

National Invasive Species Awareness Week is an opportunity to tell the story about how invasive species devour our crops, close lakes to boating, and rewrite both the entrees and the prices on menus. Fighting these invasions requires spending of tens of millions of your tax dollars in Florida alone each year.

Figuring out how to prevent or control invasive species is a challenge so vast that premier public research universities must play a role in any substantial response.

Scientists often group themselves by their academic degrees – entomology, ecology, plant pathology, and on and on. Great public universities make themselves most useful when we can group scientists around a problem.

That’s why the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has responded to the call for expertise in invasion science.

We don’t employ “invasion scientists.” But we know that almost any of our faculty can be one with the right resources and opportunities. That’s why UF/IFAS awards grants to scientists to come together from different fields to research invasions.

It’s also why we invited in experts from New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, and across the U.S. for a three-day workshop in Gainesville to start organizing effective scientific responses to invasive species.

Bringing experts together leads to more creative responses than if they all worked in isolation.

And invasion science is creative. Consider just the Burmese python. UF/IFAS has cooperated with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on bringing in snake-sniffing dogs from Auburn University and Irula tribesmen from India in hopes of teaching Floridians how to find and catch pythons. We even sent an intrepid post-doctoral researcher traipsing into the Everglades to detect whether the mosquitoes who feasted on him were also feeding on the pythons.

UF/IFAS received what’s believed to be the first U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded grant in decades for research in Cuba to scout for forest pests before they get here.

You can help. How?

·       If you’re not sure what to plant in your yard, please visit assessment.ifas.ufl.edu to get the lowdown on the invasion risk posed by hundreds of non-native plant species.

·       Don’t release pet reptiles, amphibians or any other store-bought critters into the wild. You could be detonating the next invasive species explosion.

·       If you see strange plants or animals, report them using the IVEGOT1 hotline, web page or app. FWC does a great job helping to manage invasives. UF/IFAS Extension offices can also help you find the right people to identify or respond to wildlife that could pose problems.

·       Join a citizen science effort, such as our School of Ants that gathers data on native and invasive species.

It’s a team effort. UF/IFAS scientists are working, for example, on helping wildlife managers triage the myriad reports of wildlife encounters they receive. The tool will help guide which calls require the most urgent response.

The 1,000 people a day who move here are not the only ones looking to set up a life in Florida. Plants, insects, and animals are also trying to make their way in.

The rise of invasion science at UF/IFAS is an example of how valuable publicly funded research is to a state that grows many of the nation’s winter vegetables and attracts 100 million annual visitors. Cutting-edge research will allow Florida to continue welcoming visitors while limiting harm from new arrivals that push out native Florida plants and animals.

Jack Payne is the University of Florida’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

Please visit our home website for more information and other articles: https://www.fishwildlifeflorida.org/invasion-science/

[usfwspacific]

Habitat is Where It’s At: Removing Invasives and Restoring Fish Populations in the Pacific Islands

Kiholo Estuarine Ponds Restoration Project

Photo: Volunteer Work Crew - Over thirty thousand hours of volunteer time has been contributed to the project

Habitat Restoration and Volunteer Efforts

The Nature Conservancy Hawaii Marine Program began restoring fishpond function and fish productivity by removing the invasive vegetation along the shoreline of the Kiholo Bay estuarine ponds. Service staff regularly participated in the project with hands-on labor during community workdays.

Between November 2013 and August 2015, monthly community workdays typically had  a turnout of over fifty individuals.These workers pulled invasive weeds along a quarter mile of shoreline and transported green waste to containers for disposal.

The estuarine ponds at Kiholo Bay had become severely overgrown by invasive riparian vegetation; this had limited native shoreline vegetation which historically functioned to provide juvenile fish habitat. The influx of detritus and beach sentiment also reduced the average depth of the pond.

Detrital material from dead vegetation formed a thick layer of organic sediment on the bottom, resulting in periodic onsets of anoxia - an absence of oxygen in the water - and fish kills.

Kiholo Estuarine Ponds

Photo: Giant trevally

In the Hawaiian Islands, nearshore coastal and estuarine areas serve as important habitat for recruitment and survival of coral reef fish. These estuaries function as a vital interface between land and coastal waters, and provide habitat for native flora and fauna.

 At the Kiholo estuarine ponds located on the Big Island, between three and five million gallons of submarine groundwater emerges to flow into coastal waters each day, supporting populations of green sea turtles, numerous invertebrates, and estuarine and marine fish species associated with coral reef habitats.

Many coastal juvenile fish species rely on shallow and estuarine habitat for survival. In addition to supporting subsistence and recreational fisheries, these species also serve as forage fish for larger sportfish, including the giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis, or “ulua”), the most popular sportfish in Hawaii.

Preserving Fish Culture in a Changing Environment

Photo: Kiholo Landscape: In 2011, the family of the late Paul Mitchell donated land surrounding the Kiholo estuary-fishpond complex to The Nature Conservancy

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the shoreline fronting Kiholo Bay supported an ancient native Hawaiian fishing village. Historically, Kiholo provided a protected anchorage and an interisland landing for both locally caught fish and commercial materials from the uplands, including cattle and forest products.

Over the past century, many shallow coastal areas, including most traditional Hawaiian fishponds, have been altered or filled for residential and commercial development. Today, a small cluster of locally-owned beach cottages and a small enclave of ultra-exclusive vacation homes line the Kiholo shorefront.

But despite the increased pressure of a growing and changing population, local residents still utilize Kiholo Bay and are committed to ensuring that the fish remain healthy and abundant.

Measuring Success 

The removal of invasive vegetation and pond sediment is increasing production of juvenile fish species including:

ulua (lowly trevally) (Caranx ignobilis)

kaku (great barracuda) (Sphyraena barracuda)

Pacific flagtail (aholehole kai) (Kuhlia sandvicensis)

omilu (black ulua) (Caranx melampygus)

moi (Polydactylus sexfilis)

Project Partners

Castle Foundation 

 Ulupono Initiative

Hui Aloha Kiholo

NOAA - Coral Reef Conservation Program, Community-Based Restoration Program, Habitat Blueprint