Promoting Student Understanding of the Ecological Impacts & Management of Invasive Species

Abstract

Invasive species are an issue of global concern because they can have large impacts on ecosystems and are challenging to manage. We present an activity aimed at improving undergraduate students’ understanding of the ecological impacts and management of invasive species. Students work collaboratively in teams to examine the impacts of a particular invasive species on an ecosystem (a fictional national park). The teams then propose policies that would assist their park in minimizing the introduction and impacts of the invasive species, and discuss potential limitations of these proposed policies. Finally, the teams present their proposals in class, which allows for class discussions and opportunities for collaborative learning. By engaging in this activity, students can develop a more concrete understanding and appreciation of both the impacts of invasive species and the challenges involved in managing them.

Place-Based Learning with Out-of-Place Species & Students: Teaching International Students about Biological Invasions

“…Invasive species rank among the most important drivers of global biodiversity loss (Bellard et al, 2016), andPimentel et al (2005) estimated that the economic costs of biological invasions total $120 billion annually in the United States alone. Thus, increasing understanding and management of biological invasions represents a critical global challenge, and numerous recent publications have explored how to introduce this topic into high school and undergraduate classrooms and laboratories (e.g., Hewitt et al, 2014;Lampert, 2015;Poppenwimer et al, 2015).…”