Stop animal and plant invaders

Sunset, Dec, 2004 by David L. Secord

As a biologist who teaches and does research on invasive species, I was impressed to see your coverage, complete with an ominous photo, of how European starlings invaded North America ("Black Birds," Window on the West, October, page 26). People continue to move thousands of kinds of plants and animals--on land and sea--around the world to places they almost surely wouldn't otherwise get.

Invasive species have huge impacts on biodiversity, our local economies, and even public health. Recently, a new species of sea squirt (a slimy pink marine animal) showed up in Puget Sound, Washington, alarming shellfish growers (sea squirts can overgrow harvestable blue mussels).

Sunset readers can stem this tide of new invasions by reducing their spread: Don't dump home aquariums in local waterways, clean boats and trailers before moving them between lakes, and use caution when buying new plants for the home garden.

DAVID L. SECORD

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, TACOMA