Globalization has influenced the introduction of new species into an ecosystem, such that these species threaten the existing community. These harmful species and invasive members negatively impact the area and wild members as competitors, predators, or parasites. The impacts of invasive species on existing wildlife have adverse effects on humans’ economic life since most agricultural, recreational and commercial activities depend on healthy native ecosystems. Therefore, they end up disrupting the ecological process and natural communities or even cause total extinction. Hence, identifying the dangers posed by invasive species towards the native species and the entire ecosystem enhances strategic efforts to address the environmental concerns and achieve habitat conservation goals.
Invasive species can directly or indirectly result in the extinction of existing wild members through hybridization. For instance, domestic cats mate with wildcats leading to genetic swamping, thus producing hybrid populations. Hybridization makes it hard to describe bred cats as native or non-native species adequately. Therefore, blurring taxonomic distinctions between the native and non-native species undermine the conservation laws that protect species and their survival. The other danger in an ecosystem is the fear or disturbances posed by predators during hunting (Trouwborst et al., 2020). For example, free-ranging domestic cats affect prey species and influence stress response, defense behaviors, and vulnerability to other predators. Therefore, these effects minimize native wildlife from competing with non-hunted species in an ecosystem.
Addressing the dangers of new species to existing (wild) members in an area is assurance that species conservation results in healthy ecosystems. However, it requires total commitment and compliance with conservation laws towards reducing, preventing or eliminating biodiversity effects of non-native species. Therefore, essential strategies from the biodiversity conservation perspective enhance the prevention, control and removal of harmful species in a given habitat.
Reference
Trouwborst, A., McCormack, P. C., & Martínez Camacho, E. (2020). Domestic cats and their impacts on biodiversity: A blind spot in the application of nature conservation law. People and Nature, 2(1), 235-250.