Percentage of total Number of species Percentage of total Annual economic Group of organism introduced introduced annual costs costs Plants 50.0 25,000 27.2 Microbes 40.0 20.2 Arthropods 9.0 15.7 Fish 0.28 4.2 Birds 0.19 1.5 $1.9 billion Mollusks 0.18 1.7 Reptiles and amphibians 0.11 0.009 Mammals 0.04 20 29.4 $37.5 billion TOTAL 100 50,000 100 $127.4 billion
Environmental scientists David Pimentel, Rodolfo Zuniga, and Doug Morrison of Cornell University reviewed scientific estimates for the economic and ecological costs imposed by introduced and invasive species in the United States. They found that, as of 2005, approximately 50,000 species had been introduced in the United States and that these accounted
for over $120 billion in economic costs each year. These costs include direct losses and damage, as well as costs required to control the species. (The researchers did not quantify monetary estimates for losses of biodiversity, ecosystem services, and aesthetics, which they said would drive total costs several times higher.) Calculate values missing from the table to determine the number of introduced species of each type of organism and the annual cost that each imposes on our economy.
Of the 50,000 species introduced into the United
States, half are plants. Describe two ways in which
non-native plants might be brought to a new location.
How might we help prevent non-native plants
from establishing in new areas and altering native
communities?
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