Diehl, P. (2016, July 31). New Book Details ‘Killer Algae’ Victory: San Diego Union Tribune. Environment | San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved August 24, 2016, from http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/jul/31/new-book-details-killer-algae-victory/.

Eric Noel Muñoz, a Carlsbad citizen, discusses the Caulerpa algae emergency that occurred several years ago and the efforts it took to recover the Agua Hedionda Lagoon, where it took place. Caulerpa algae has so-far unknown long-term effects to marine biodiversity, but it is known to cover acres of empty Mediterranean ocean floor and therefore posed a serious threat to the Carlsbad area and other lagoons in Southern California. The removal efforts of Muñoz’s team were serious as the situation posed no simple task; every one of the 11,500 square feet of ocean floor had to be examined multiple times to ensure that the chlorine treatment they had left no sprout unattended.

This article also mentioned bio-fouling, the process by which boats carry various invasive species on their underbellies from one marine region to the next. This is an interesting trend and may point to the need for more serious state-wide boating laws in order to preserve the many various marine ecosystems California is home to. This article also highlights an individual’s ability to make a positive impact in environmental preservation; Muñoz has been a city contractor for decades with no extensive education in marine biology, but his passion for the lagoon and the preservation of its biodiversity was enough to fuel his determination and level of impact.

Arnold, C. (2016, February 29). Invasive Species: California Biologists Are Killing Invasive Barred Owls to Help Spotted Owls: Nature World News. Trending Topics | Nature World News. Retrieved August 24, 2016, from http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/20284/20160229/invasive-species-california-biologists-killing-barred-owls-help-spotted.htm.

Beginning in 1985, the Northern spotted owl, native to Northern California, began declining in population when the larger barred owl, an invasive species from the east coast, began challenging it for habitat and food supply. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sanctioned an experiment to track its decline and measure the negative impact of the barred owl. This experiment included contractors for the Service obtaining licenses to capture and kill the barred owl in certain regions. While the killing-involved experiment was controversial to several individuals of the environmental science community, the results have shown a positive spike in the Northern spotted owl’s population size, a positive sign.

This article poses a tricky question: is it ever acceptable to kill one species in order to save another? In this case, I believe it is; both species must be preserved, but the barred owl already has a large population on the east coast while the Northern spotted owl does not. Maybe it might have been possible to catch the barred owls and release them on the east coast, removing them from California region by region. However, I do see that that might have been very expensive and minimally effective as they are winged animals and difficult to contain. This poses yet another series of questions: what would have happened if this event had occurred prior to human existence? Might it have been better to allow nature to run its course, even at the cost of a species going extinct? Or did humans artificially introduce the barred owl to West coast in the first place and were responsible to remedy the mistake?

Guzman, K. (2016, May 19). Santa Cruz Workshop Teaches Boaters to Prevent Invasive Species: Santa Cruz Sentinel. Science | Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved August 24, 2016, from http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/article/NE/20160519/NEWS/160519657.

Invasive species have become an important topic at marine research centers along the coast of central California. Chela Zabin, a marine ecologist, led a workshop in Santa Cruz recently on effective ways to clean one’s boat and remove any species that might have attached themselves to the underbelly. Although boating in places such as the Monterrey or San Francisco bays may seem harmless, it has proven to be the leading cause in the spread of invasive marine species as they often attach themselves to and travel with the boats from one marine reserve to another, an occurrence known as biofouling.

This article is important to environmental science because it demonstrates how invasive species have creative ways of spreading that we, as responsible citizens, must be aware of. In the article, it mentions how even organisms the size of a grain of rice, such as the New Zealand mud snail, have the power to wipe away the biodiversity of an entire ecosystem. Workshops like this one are crucial in saving our threatened marine ecosystems, as spreading awareness of our often unaware contributions to environmental damage is the first step towards preventing them.

Mohan, G. (2016, August 16). California Wine Country Says Goodbye to Crop-Threatening Moth: Los Angeles Times. Business | Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 24, 2016, from http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-wine-moth-20160818-snap-story.html.

In 2009, a European grapevine moth species, lobesia botrana, began infesting 2,000 square miles of Napa region vineyards and threatening $5.7 billion worth in fruits, particularly grapes. The invasive species originated in southern Europe, but has already spread to three other continents, including North America. Quarantine was placed on the region and growers used traps and bacteria sprays to eventually eliminate the moth, an effort that cost upwards of $90 million. The moth was last spotted in 2014, and with no further sightings in the past few years, the pest has been finally declared eradicated.

I find it incredible how great of an impact a tiny moth can have. This event most likely began with just a few moths that thrived in the California hills environment and spread into an issue that cost tens of millions of dollars with many more at stake. I also find it interesting how we don’t pay much attention to invasive species hurting local ecosystems until they become a threat to our own communities and businesses. This article is important to environmental science because it demonstrates how, although costly, it is entirely possibly to eliminate a threatening nonnative species as long as it is immediately noticed and contained.

Fears, D. (2016, August 19). This is the ‘Fuse’ that Ignites California’s Explosive Fires: The Washington Post. Energy and Environment |The Washington Post. Retrieved August 24, 2016, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/08/19/dry-grasses-are-the-fuse-that-is-igniting-californias-explosive-fires/?utm_term=.226a15b01e23.

This past winter, Californians had been praying for the El Niño rain and snowstorms to bring relief from the ongoing drought. However, the precipitation that was delivered did more than just refill the reservoirs and lakes; it hydrated the grassy “golden hills” of California and caused a spike in their growth which, followed by dry, hot spring weather, resulted in perfect kindling for summer wildfires. These grasses pose a major problem for California; they represent invasive species brought over long ago from Europe that quickly dominated the entire state. Climate change, evident in the drought, as well as other dry plants, such as dead trees and shrubs, are two other contributors that, along with the invasive grasses, are spurring the fires.

This article shows how an invasive species can quickly dominate an entire region and throw its ecosystem off-balance. The grasses may be harmless in Europe where wildfires are potentially less common, but our California climate is not as suitable for them, especially when we are the midst of a drought. This also shows how invasive species can become so integral in an environment’s image that we forget how harmful it is to our surrounding ecosystem; my friend was surprised when I told him that the “golden hills” our state is famous for were not originally golden but the result of a nonnative plant’s dominance in our region, a reaction I can imagine many other Californians would share. While the wildfires have been continuously blamed on the drought, it is important that we recognize the significant role the invasive grass species have played in this issue as well so that we can raise awareness of the importance of containing nonnative plants before they become so widespread, like the grasses, that little can be done to stop them.