The issue of non-native trees.
Trees provide many ecosystem services and benefits to their area, especially in urban spaces. Trees help to provide shelter, habitat, protection from erosion, air filtering, and many more benefits. They also can be harmful, however, in that they can cause allergies, they need maintenance. and they can cause accidents. These pros and cons are especially important to consider with the issue of non-native tree species. The UNIGE, a group that has been studying this issue, determined that in rural and urban areas of Canton of Geneva there were 911 species of tree, 90% of which were non-native. This could be a problem, as non-native species were beginning to take over, but the group also determined that the species were adapting quickly and with fair ease into their new environments, and that they would have little negative effect. In fact, the group determined that only about 5% of non-native species would cause problems to an environment. Finally, the UNIGE says that it is actually a good thing to promote specific non-native species in order to prepare for climate change.
My response to the article is that from what it explained, non-native species of trees seem to have little harmful effects other than spreading rapidly. Personally, I think it is better to have a majority of native species, but I wouldn't mind having any non-native species if they looked nice.
The idea that 90% of trees within and area are nonnative is eye opening. The ability for plants and animals to adapt to changes in environment and plant species in the area is extraordinary. I disagree with you final statement as I see no problem with having a majority of nonnative species if these species are causing no harm to the ecosystem. Especially as it create more biodiversity to all for the survival of the ecosystem in a challenge against something such as climate change.
ReplyDeleteTrees provide many helpful services towards us and our environment such as shelter for animals and air purification and conversion. And the introduction of new non-native species of trees is actually beneficial in the events of climate change. Due to the actions of mankind, climate change is accelerating as time goes by. So introducing non-native species of trees to an area will greatly increate that environment's resistance to the upcoming climate change.
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