Nonnative Species
Nonnative species are ones that
have been introduced to an area by humans.They are also known as introduced
species. They are sometimes introduced on purpose and sometimes by
accident. Introduced plants can be classified into one of several categories:
naturalized, exotic, or cultivated. Naturalized plants are ones that have
been introduced by man, but have become established on their own. This
means that they have become self-seeding. Exotic species are those that
are strikingly different and unusual for that area. Cultivated species
are ones that are intentionally raised and rely on humans to provide them
with a suitable environment and for reproduction.
Some examples of organisms that
have been introduced to Bermuda:
- Plants
- Poison Ivy-naturalized, Rhus
radicans
- Tobacco-naturalized and cultivated,
Nicotiana tabacum
- Buttonweed-naturalized, Borreria
laevis
- Mexican or Brazilian Pepper Tree-naturalized,
Schinus terebinthifolius
- Spanish Moss-naturalized, Tillandsia
usneoides
- Morning Glory (Blue Dawn Flower)-naturalized
(invasive), Ipomoea indica
- Screw Palm-exotic, Pandanus
utilis
- Casuarina (Horsetail Tree)-naturalized,
Casuarina equisetifolia
- Surinam Cherry-naturalized (invasive),
Eugenia uniflora
- Royal Poinciana-exotic, Delonix
regia
- Orange-cultivated, Citrus sinensis
- Poinsettia Joseph's Coat (Japanese
Poinsettia)-naturalized, Euphorbia heterophylla
- Animals
- humans!
- hogs-for food
- cats and dogs-as pets
- Mediterranean fruit fly-by accident-ate
citrus crops
- Jamaica Anole (a small lizard that
can change colors like a chameleon)-to eat fruit flies-ate citrus instead,
Anolis grahami
- Great Kiskadee (a loud, yellow-breasted
bird)-to eat lizards-also preferred citrus, Pitangus sulphuratus
- Whistling Frog (very tiny tree
frogs that serenade the island at night), Eleutherodactylus johnstonei
- Giant Toad, Bufo marinus
- Other birds
- Mallard Duck, Anas platyrhynchos
- Wild Canary (died out), Serinus
canarius
- Cardinal (Redbird), Cardinalis
cardinalis
- European Goldfinch, Carduelis
carduelis
- European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris
- House Sparrow, Passer domesticus
- Common Crow (maybe), Corvus
brachyrhynchos
- Ground Dove (maybe), Columbigallina
passerina
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