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How Invasive Species Affect The Local Environment

Author: Vincent Guo

Editors: Fiona Cheng, Sophia Chen

Artist: Felicia Chen


Just as their name suggests, invasive species are a species that migrates from one environment to another, disrupting the local ecosystem once again. They pose a detrimental effect on the environment, disrupting the ecological balance of native species. A species is only classified as invasive if it brings harm to the environment. Invasive species cause harm to the ecosystem and farmer’s crops, and puts human health at risk. Their presence throws off the ecosystem potentially causing natural inhabitants of the environment to become extinct in that area as well.

Due to a lack of natural predators, invasive species can cause harm in an ecosystem as they are able to survive and reproduce. As their population increases, they require more food to sustain their numbers, resulting in less food for pre-existing native fauna and flora. Original inhabitants must now compete with the invasive species for food and habitat while being hunted down and killed by their predators. In many cases, not being able to keep up and compete against the invasive species often leads to extinction in that environment.

There are various ways that an invasive species can be introduced to an environment. One of those ways naturally occurs when species, such as marine animals, are carried away by the ocean currents into another environment. Other ways a species can be introduced is through unintentional means. For instance, human activities such as international trade can facilitate the spread of invasive organisms, whether or not they understand the consequences. When countries ship goods, particularly food, to other countries, organisms hidden in or on the food potentially pose a threat to the local environment. For instance, a shipment of produce may contain seeds or larvae and when the cargo arrives at the designated location, the seed has a chance to be blown away and land somewhere. This causes the seed of a certain plant to become invasive and quickly grow out of control.

Invasive species cause harm to the environment, but they are also a threat to human health. For instance, the Asian tiger mosquito, which originated in Southeast Asia, can now be found in many other parts of the world now. However, they spread disease when they are feeding off a host. When they feed off a new host they transmit that disease to the new host.  Another way non-native  species can be a threat to human health is by worsening allergies. Certain invasive species may produce excess pollen, worsening individuals' existing allergy to pollen. Moreover, invasive species can compromise food and water safety. Invasive species can pollute water supplies and damage crops. One example of this is the invasive species of feral pigs. They cause mud and waste to get into a drink which causes the water to then become undrinkable. Not only do they pollute water but they also destroy crops when they are in search of food. Invasive species are also a nuisance for farmers since farmers would have a non-damaging way to handle species that eat their crops like using a ladybug to get rid of aphids, but now since there is an invasive species the farmers’ only option is to use more pesticide which can pose a threat to human health. Farmers often have effective, non-harmful methods to handle local pests, but invasive species may force them to rely on increased pesticide use, further  introducing health risks to consumers and the environment. Invasive species not only cost farmers millions of dollars but put human health at risk.

There are several ways to prevent and minimize the impact of invasive species on the local environment. One approach is enforcing import regulations, making sure no hidden organisms accompany the items, greatly reducing the chance of  introducing invasive species. Additionally, taking immediate charge to identify the organism can regulate the environment ensuring minimal damage. Most importantly, educating others and raising awareness can prevent individuals from unintentionally introducing plants or animals. 

Citations:

“Invasive Species.” National Wildlife Federation, www.nwf.org/Educational-

“Invasive Species – a Huge Threat to Human Well-Being.” UNEP, www.unep.org/news-and-

Kumar Rai, Prabhat, and J S Singh. “Invasive Alien Plant Species: Their Impact on

Environment, Ecosystem Services and Human Health.” Ecological Indicators, U.S.

National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2020,

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