Cuban Treefrog Research Paper

Invasive species are organisms that infiltrate ecosystems that are unable to support their alien lifestyle and diet. Their initial invasion may seem inconsequential and, frankly, insignificant at first, but their numbers will quickly grow and multiply, so much that the future outcome takes a drastic turn for the worst. Florida, in particular, has been attacked by numerous invasive species because of its accessibility to foreign cargo and material. The Burmese python, Cuban treefrog, and lionfish are just a few of the infamous invasive species growing in prominence throughout Florida. Even though these species seem incredibly different, they have one thing in common - an ability to tear down entire ecosystems by just being alive! It is important
that these dangerous species and their dire effects on the Florida ecosystem do not go unnoticed so that we might have a chance to preserve and restore the ecosystem’s balance.

The Burmese python, measuring at an astounding length of 6 feet or more, is a snake from Asia that has infiltrated southern Florida (Nonnatives - Burmese Python). Its means of introduction are unknown (Nonnatives - Burmese Python), but there are theories out there that suggest its arrival was through pet trade (Invasive Species: Animals - Burmese Python (Python Molurus Bivittatus)). Observations of established populations were sighted as early as 2000, mainly in the Florida Everglades (Invasive Species: Animals - Burmese Python (Python Molurus Bivittatus)). As its habitat would suggest, it lives on land, in the water, and even in the trees (Nonnatives - Burmese Python). Because of its large size and absence of predators, the Burmese python has proven to be a formidable and dangerous enemy to Florida’s ecosystem. Its expansive diet consists of a variety of animals, even including endangered species such as the Key Largo wood rat (Invasive Species: Animals - Burmese Python (Python Molurus Bivittatus)). With no predators to keep its numbers down, the Burmese python’s population is quickly growing, further injuring the survivability of prey-susceptible species. To counteract the python’s burst in population, rules have been made prohibiting Burmese python as a pet within Florida (Nonnatives - Burmese Python). Measures have also been taken by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service preventing “the importation of pythons into the United States” and “the snakes from being transported across state lines” (Nonnatives - Burmese Python).

A species proving to be a pest even before the Burmese python was the Cuban treefrog - an invader from Cuba and other islands south of Florida (The Cuban Treefrog in Florida).
Introduced by accident in the 1920’s, this invasive species now resides in Southern and Northeast Florida through the means of shipment transportation (Nonnatives - Cuban Treefrog). Its toxic skin and voracious appetite contributes to the Cuban treefrogs’ growing numbers and the native frogs’ decreasing numbers (Nonnatives - Cuban Treefrog). The Cuban treefrog also causes problems for humans directly, as its preferred habitat is cultured, urban locations, such as gardens and citrus groves (The Cuban Treefrog in Florida) . There have been multiple accounts of Cuban treefrogs being found in people’s homes - in their flower pots, yards, and even in their toilets (Cuban Tree Frog: Invasive Species Takes over Resident's Yard). For these reasons efforts have been made by conservation scientists at the University of Florida to warn and inform the general public of the threat Cuban treefrogs pose (The Cuban Treefrog (Osteopilus Septentrionalis) in Florida1). Articles have been placed on the internet explaining how to euthanize the local treefrogs in your yard using easily-accessible supplies (The Cuban Treefrog in Florida). It is through their efforts that they hope to contain the treefrogs’ growing
numbers.

A species greatly impacting our Florida coasts is the lionfish, a poison-barbed native to the western Pacific ocean (Invasive Species: Aquatic Species - Lionfish (Pterois Volitans).
Supposedly, their invasion began during hurricane Andrew in 1992 when 6 lionfish escaped into the wild (The Lionfish Invasion). In only 24 years, Lionfish have successfully established populations all along the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean (Lionfish - Point Map). With their ability to reproduce 2 million eggs a year per female and absence of natural predators (The Lionfish Invasion), it is only expected for their numbers to have overtaken in such short a time. This leads to a number of damaging effects on Florida’s ecosystem, such as the severe population declination of native species. In just 30 minutes, a lionfish can eat up to 20 small fish, some of them ⅔ of their own length (The Lionfish Invasion)! This affects not only the species preyed upon, but also the competing native predators, decreasing their numbers too (The Lionfish Invasion). Because of their exponential growth in numbers, complete eradication is, unfortunately, an unrealistic goal (The Lionfish Invasion). Containment, as has been taken up by many sympathizers, is now the only solution. Options such as preserving the population of the lionfishes’ few predators and capturing/eating the lionfish ourselves have proven slightly effective (The Lionfish Invasion); eating it as a delicacy has also
created awareness throughout the general public. In the future, there will hopefully be a better solution to the lionfishes’ overwhelming invasion of Florida’s waters. In conclusion, invasive species should not be taken lightly, as the repercussions of their invasion have the power to collapse entire ecosystems. Though it might all start with a simple accident - cargo transportation or releasing captives into the wild - the end result is disastrous, as was seen in each of these examples. Entire species could potentially be eradicated because of the nonnative species’ foreign and often uncontrollable diet. Often, attempts to control the invaders’ growing numbers results in financial burdens, but recently, efforts, such as in the lionfishes’ case, have proven to bare some profit. Eating the lionfish provides the funds and means of expulsion to contain its uncontrollable numbers. Everyday people can help fight against invasive species in this very way; by being involved and keeping informed, they can exercise awareness in their own backyard.