Inconsiderate husbandry

[soilman]

Both plant and animal husbandry often create environmental problems. While some degree of problems may be inevitable, people clearly do no always husband lifeforms responsibly. They often do so quite inconsiderately. Case in point, bringing over silkworms from China to the eastern US, feral silkworms -- subsequently called "gypsy moths" to attempt to hide the culprit -- damage oak trees.

Another case in point -- domestic cats. People husband them to have companion animals, both owned cats and feral cats damage the wild bird balance, leave feces in vegetable gardens and cause pregnant women who don't own cats to get tri-whatever and their babies to have birth-anomolies.

[Ludi]

People husband them to have companion animals, both owned cats and feral cats damage the wild bird balance, leave feces in vegetable gardens and cause pregnant women who don't own cats to get tri-whatever and their babies to have birth-anomolies.

Feral cats are a huge problem. People need to keep their cats indoors, where they can be safe and happy.

[PortableKitten]

Both plant and animal husbandry often create environmental problems. While some degree of problems may be inevitable, people clearly do no always husband lifeforms responsibly. They often do so quite inconsiderately. Case in point, bringing over silkworms from China to the eastern US, feral silkworms -- subsequently called "gypsy moths" to attempt to hide the culprit -- damage oak trees.

Another case in point -- domestic cats. People husband them to have companion animals, both owned cats and feral cats damage the wild bird balance, leave feces in vegetable gardens and cause pregnant women who don't own cats to get tri-whatever and their babies to have birth-anomolies.


toxoplasmosis is what I think you are thinking of. My doctor told me years ago when I was pregnant, to have my husband clean the litterbox as the risk is significant.

[Hummusisyummus]

They often do so quite inconsiderately. Case in point, bringing over silkworms from China to the eastern US, feral silkworms -- subsequently called "gypsy moths" to attempt to hide the culprit -- damage oak trees.


I did not know that. Hmm.


I wonder what odd organisms jump habitats when produce is shipped around the world.

[soilman]

It is interesting that while the silkworms, all by themselves, decided to defoliate oak trees, just for fun, husbanding of silkworms stalled -- silk production never went far, in the Eastern US. Despite the fact that it obviously is not difficult keep them thriving. Not sure silk production never became competitively successful here in the Eastern US.

In actuality, the caterpillars do not do extreme damage to oak trees. Just some distressing damage. The worms have a 7-year cycle, during which the kill a small percentage of oak trees by defoliating them. Almost all oak trees are affected, but most keep at a decent percentage of leaves. Many oak trees survive despite being mostly defoliated, but they aren't the nice shade trees that people hoped they would be during that time. (1) no leaves, no shade (2) caterpillars bungee jump from branches, and land on your head (3) many people develop allergic wheals where they landed on skin. (4) You have to occaisionally spend a couple minutes pulling and peel silk strands off your face and eyelashes and out of your hair (5) a few "worm-phobic" individuals have panic attacks when bungee-jumping "worms" land on them.

[PortableKitten]

That is very interesting, thanks!

[nova]

I wonder what odd organisms jump habitats when produce is shipped around the world.

Hummusisyummus - i just did a course on this kind of thing in college - it's amazing what we've done. Not just when produce is shipped, but intentional introductions, especially 'Western' settlers trying to introduce a little bit of home when they go off colonising. Depending on which source you read, about half of the flora of New Zealand is introduced. (Not half the plants, but half the species found). Then of course they have huge problems with possums.

Introduced species are one of the biggest threats to biodiversity worldwide. And not just intentionally introduced ones, but escapes (as mentioned by other posters).

Anyway I think I'm just repeating what other people have said using different examples.

Have a look at, I think the website is www.biodiv.org

[rainbow_clouds]

When Europeans first came to Africa they brought foregin trees with them, now the trees are taking all the water leaving the people in Africa without any... there is crews of people chopping down all the trees. Watched a video on it in History class last year.