Notes on Cultural Impacts of Non-Native Species

  1. The Tiny Seed

This is a children’s book written and illustrated by Eric Carle in 1970. The story is colorful and interesting for the parents and children whom are interacting with it. The book serves as an example of early education on the topic of the growing cycle and the challenges of the plant reproduction cycle in a native environment. Non-native species share the same grow cycle and can be explained to complicate this process for the native plants even more.

I was read this book as a child, which provides me with a personal connection to the source. This source is an unusual but relatable source that could increase the range of audience on the issue. The book does not even have to be read to understand the meaning, the illustrations do a fantastic job on their own. That means that if a parent is too busy to read the book again, the child is able to flip through the pages and tell themselves the story. This will improve the impact of the message within the young audience.

This book is geared toward kids but can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It’s short and engaging. It is also a very popular read, so it can be found in almost every bookstore. On top of that, libraries and online shopping make access to the book even easier.

 

  1. Cartoon – http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/122897/

This editorial cartoon was created by Adam Zyglis for the Buffalo News on Sunday, June 2, 2013. The cartoon features two native fish, who look drab and sickly, living in a disgustingly polluted habitat reading the ‘Aquatic Times’. The fish are talking about an incoming invasive species that have “an endless appetite, …decimate ecosystems, and send species extinct.” The fish ask if the incoming species is Asian Carp. Then they reveal that the true horrific invasive is humans.

Asian Carp have destroyed the natural aquatic ecosystems of the Great Lakes. They eat an absorbent amount of aquatic plants which creates a more competitive environment for the native species. The reason that the cartoon says humans are the true invasive is that none of the current invasive and non-native species problems would exist if it weren’t for the involvement of humans.

This source is an example of humans being the problem. This is also a different source because it was created for a newspaper, which isn’t that common anymore. The good news is that the cartoon is also available online, so everyone interested is able to access it easily.

 

  1. Magazine – nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/invasive-species/

This is an article entitled Invasive Specieson the website of National Geographic Magazine. The article was released in 2011 and had many contributors: writers (Kim Rutledge, Melissa McDaniel, Diane Boudreau, Tara Ramroop, Santani Teng, and others), illustrators (Tim Gunther and Mary Crooks), editors (Kara West and Jeannie Evers) and producers (Caryl-Sue and National Geographic Society). It includes the definition of ‘invasive species,’ the difference between non-native and invasive species, their impacts to their local environments, and the ways in which humans can do their part in the effort of the eradication of these species. It also includes a vocabulary page to help the reader understand the content of the article to the best of their ability.

The site is associated with a very famous magazine. The National Geographic Magazine is most famous for their fantastic photography. The site includes some relevant photography. This will also increase intrigue in the site.

This site is geared toward people who are interested in the topic of non-native species but is able to be utilized by all audiences. It’s exceptionally educational and thoroughly informative. It’s also available online, so everyone interested is able to access it easily.

 

  1. #nativespecies – https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/nativespecies/

This is a hashtag on Instagram, a popular social media app. This means that it is a collection of the publics posts in which they’ve used the hashtag to put their picture with in the collection. The source is always changing and growing because the public is always posting new things and deleting old things. Some of the current pictures include animals, plants, people’s gardens, landscapes, and take action groups.

This source is fluid with the time and completely dependent on the public at large. Some of the posts are bound to be incorrect. The app is also a worldwide interest, which means people are posting things that are native to their part of the world, but the species is not universally native. It is also very cool to be able to see the worldwide interest in the topic of native verses non-native species.

This source is geared toward people who use the app and have an account, but anyone is able to access the hashtag. The most popular audience of the app is teens, which means they have the most access to the source, which is unique because most sources are geared toward either kids or adults. It’s also available online, so everyone interested is able to access it easily.

 

  1. Documentary – https://www.pbs.org/video/natureworks-invasive-species/

This documentary was released in 2010 and is about 15 minutes long. It’s a Nature Works special that teaches the audience about non-native species and their impact environmentally. The documentary is led by children actors that go to talk to professionals about the issue of non-native species. They talk about specific invasive species and the ways in which people can act to do their part in preventing an even wider spread.

Patrice talks to Dave about the impacts of Milfoil within aquatic communities. Dave explains the invasive qualities of the species and that cleaning off boats between bodies of water can help lessen the impact. Emily and Sam talk to Professor Jim Morin about the impacts of invasive seaweed in the waters of the Shoals Marine Lab island.

The documentary is geared towards children, but everyone can learn from watching it. It’s short enough that it’s not a large commitment but it is still very informational. It’s also available online, so everyone interested is able to access it easily.

 

  1. Song – Wildflowers

This song was released by Tom Petty in 1994. It has an average song length of about 3 minutes. It’s not necessarily about native or non-native plants, but its lyrics do talk about where a girl belongs. This can be stretched to fit the theme of where plants belong, or where they are native. The song’s title itself: Wildflowers, triggers the thought of plants and sunny days on a healthy planet more than a girl.

The song link is being played during a video of pictures of fields of flowers and Tom Petty which was posted on YouTube by Mr. Foxx Frequency. These surreal pictures of beautiful flower fields could trigger a desire to recreate, maintain and protect such a natural beauty.

This song is short and produced by a famous artist. People can listen to its subtle messages without even realizing it. It’s also available online, so everyone interested is able to access it easily.

 

  1. TED talk

This is a TED talk, a quick 10-minute presentation, given by 17 year old Jacob Llodra in 2016. He talks about the impact of non-native species within our native ecosystems. He also talks about the ways that humans create this problem and the ways that they can try to control it. Llodra says that his passion was started in elementary school when he joined an environmental club.

This is an example of the ways in which everyone can become involved in the solution of this problem. TED talks are usually geared toward adult or teen audiences. The video is inspiring to all regarding the protection of our native ecosystems. If a 17-year-old can do it and be passionate about it in the throes of high school and puberty, anyone can.

This is a short educational video that is intriguing and concise. The audience is given information, personal anecdotes, and a call to action all in about 10 minutes. It’s also available online, so everyone interested is able to access it easily.

 

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