At first glance, the whole narrative of aquatic invasive species may seem straightforward. A non-native, invasive species comes in and dukes it out against native species to become the top dog. The losing native species are good guys; the non-native species are bad guys.
We see this narrative time and again with coverage of species — like the spotted lanternfly and the Joro spider.
But what makes a species as invasive? How can we prevent them from taking over? And what's the best way to deal with them once they're already here?
Over the years, management strategies have run the gamut — from spraying pesticides to releasing competitive organisms and running an annual python-hunting challenge.
Part of the problem in combating invasive species is that "by the time we're seeing these species, they're already established, they're already taking over," says Ian Pfingsten, a botanist who works on the United States Geological Survey's Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database. That means researchers like Pfingsten are frequently trailing these species rather than getting ahead of them.
All of that education and documentation is key to researchers understanding the scope of a species' spread. But it still only tells part of the invasive species narrative.
"I see a lot of scapegoating in the form of — if we can get rid of that species, then we've solved the problem," says Nicholas Reo, a Canada Excellence Research Chair in Coastal Relationalities and Regeneration. "But I kind of see that as as a bit of a Band-Aid approach."
That's because the main cause of invasive species spread is human activity.
"Shipping, transports, commerce, trade ... it's typically through some kind of economic means," Pfingsten says.
To get at the root of the problem, Reo says we humans have to take a concerted look in the mirror — even if it means being slower and stricter about the flow of commerce. Reo also pushes for experts to establish relationships with indigenous peoples who have longstanding relationships with the species — and, in turn, often know how to keep them in check.
Have a favorite invasive species or one that you really can't stand? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear your take!
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This episode was produced by Hannah Chinn. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. They both checked the facts. Kwesi Lee was the audio engineer.
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