Comment by andy99

Comment by andy99 2 days ago

Also learning about this today. Apparently they're bad for ecosystems that had evolved with slowly decaying organic matter (because they eat it all quickly). In particular forests.

At least in my education they have always been framed as a vital component of the ecosystem and a sign of healthy soil. It's interesting to learn that's not true.

pfdietz 2 days ago

To some extent it's a matter of definition, and whether being caused by humanity means it's bad. After all, the native earthworms would eventually have migrated north and caused similar changes.

Is it bad that redwoods are doing very well in the UK?

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happosai a day ago

The problem isn't "because it was caused by humans" per se. Invasive species because of the speed they migrate. Adapting genetically changing environment is the core of life in our planet, but it takes thousands of generations. Humans spread invasive species much faster than the local fauna can adapt.

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- darkwater 19 hours ago
  
  Very true. But also, if the invasive specie didn't naturally evolved in the foreign place, will it actually last there for 10.000s years? Difficult to know since we won't be there probably but still...
  
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