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Background information

       Invasive species effect any ecosystem by they enter the ecosystem and it may destroy parts of the environment. The invasive species populating would over-whelm the ecosystem. Therefore, harming it. The EAB (emerald ash borer) would kill many ash trees. Its related to the beetle boom in black forest because in both situations the increase in food (trees) caused the beetle population to rise. With more beetles the more trees would die.

         The EAB is an invasive species. It is dangerous to ash trees. Even though it is small, in large quantities it could kill and destroy ash trees and forests. The EAB is really only effective at killing ash trees as a larva. It eats the phloem and cambium (the inside of the tree). This prevents the nutrients the tree needs from spreading to all of the tree, which eventually kills it. Luckily the EAB is a specialist individual feeder (it only eats one thing, ash trees). If it were a generalist feeder (eats multiple things) there would be dead trees everywhere. When the EAB first comes to Colorado Springs only a few trees will die, but in the long run other species that only eat ash trees will die. The trees dying could raise taxes because the government would need more money to buy and plant them. Tree nurseries would lose money and saw mills would too. The dead trees would be dry so they would catch fire easier. This would be a problem for our fire fighters and it would cost a lot to re plant. The beetle boom in black forest killed many trees and the EAB will too.

            The EAB lives in forests and is native to Asia. It eats ash leaves as an adult but it eats the inside of the tree as a larva. The EAB is a beetle, its features are it has green wings and is very small. It is 1mm long and is 8.5mm long. It is a primary consumer. It eats primary producers. Such as trees.  Wood peckers are one of its few predators.

            The definition of food chain is a triangle or web of animals. There is the main leader of the food chain (they are the top animal). The food chain shows the interactions between predators and prey. In a food chain there are primary producers and they should have the biggest population in a food chain. Because if there were more animals than plants the animals that ate the plants would die and the animals that ate those animals would also die. Energy flows through the food chain is, the mouse eats grass, cat eats mouse and it just keeps going.

            An ecosystem is a group of interconnected elements, formed by the interaction of organisms. There are seven ecosystems in Colorado. The major ones are plains and mountains. Other than those are five more. Including the sub alpine forest. There are rocky mountain elk, mountain chickadees, and many more beautiful majestic animals.

 

Impact of EAB

An invasive species is a non-native organism that can be good or bad for an environment. It can do many things to an environment. Something it can do to the environment is dead trees means dead roots and that gives nothing for the soil t hang on to and there would be lots of erosion. Not just the environment, but also to the economy and or human health. A positive impact an invasive species can have is giving more food to predators and prey, also it can get rid of other bad invasive species. An example of a good invasive species is mullein. After firers this helps plants and vegetation grow faster. A negative impact an invasive species can have is it destroys parts of the environment and disrupts the flow in the food chain. An example is the European rabbits in Australia. They over populated and ate to much vegetation and animals that ate the same vegetation didn’t have enough food therefore they died. Them dying got rid of food for the predators and they died.

 

Action plan

Action step 1: Use insecticides around your ash trees hire a professional to do it

Action step 2: Buy over the counter soil drench productive and use it through May 1 to June 15

Action step 3: if you want to prevent EAB just don’t move fire wood

Action step 4:  protect your trees by talking good care of them when they sprout 

 

             When the EAB first comes to Colorado Springs only a few trees will die, but in the long run other species that only eat ash trees will die. The trees dying could raise taxes because the government would need more money to buy and plant them. Tree nurseries would lose money and saw mills would too. The dead trees would be dry so they would catch fire easier. This would be a problem for our fire fighters and it would cost a lot to re plant. The beetle boom in black forest killed many trees and the EAB will too. A few ways the EAB could adapt is by adapting to be able to hide from its predators such as wasps or woodpeckers. It could also adapt by growing immunity to insecticides. All of these though would take many years.