FOREIGN INVADERS. non-native species and their effect on North America s ecosystems. Written by John F. Chabot. Illustrations by Jeannette Julich

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1 FOREIGN INVADERS non-native species and their effect on North America s ecosystems Written by John F. Chabot Illustrations by Jeannette Julich

2 Copyright 2008 FULL BLAST Productions IN CANADA IN THE UNITED STATES FB Productions FB Productions 70 Allan Drive 1623 Military Road #370 Saint Catharines, Ontario Niagara Falls, New York L2N 1E Phone: Fax: Website: Photocopying rights are granted to the individual teacher or the single school purchasing the materials. A copy of this book purchased by an individual teacher is that teacher s property and can travel with her from school to school. A single copy of this book may not be kept at a resource center and used to service several schools. To be entitled to copy this book, a teacher in the school or the school itself must own an original copy. Please respect copyright. Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Chabot, John F., Foreign invaders : non-native species and their effect on North America's ecosystems/written by John F. Chabot ; illustrations by Jeannette Julich. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN English language--textbooks for second language learners. 2. Readers--Introduced organisms. I. Julich, Jeannette II. Title. PE1128.C '4 C Printed in Canada

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS unit page 1 BURMESE PYTHON 1 2 HOUSE SPARROW 4 3 DUTCH ELM DISEASE 7 4 GARLIC MUSTARD 10 5 RED IMPORTED FIRE ANT 13 6 MUTE SWAN 16 7 YELLOW STARTHISTLE 19 8 WILD BOAR 22 9 WATER HYACINTH ZEBRA MUSSEL WHIRLING DISEASE AFRICANIZED HONEY BEE GREEN CRAB PLUM POX AMERICAN BULLFROG PHRAGMITES AUSTRALIS ASIAN LONG-HORNED BEETLE ASIAN CARP PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE WEST NILE VIRUS 58 ANSWER KEY 61-67

4 1 BURMESE PYTHON You have a pet Burmese python and you decide you do not want to keep the snake anymore. It's getting big. What do you do? You tried and you could not find a home for the snake. You do not want the snake to be put to sleep by a veterinarian because you love your pet. You decide to set it free. You know the snake's natural habitat is near water so you release the snake at a local river. The snake makes its way down river and eventually it arrives at the Florida Everglades. That's the story how an invasive species was introduced to the Florida Everglades. If you continue the story, the Burmese python realizes it can adapt to living in the Everglades. There it meets another Burmese python that someone else has released and these snakes have babies. Suddenly there is a thriving and growing population of pythons in Florida. Pythons eat other animals, competing with alligators for top of the food chain. Not many animals can match this new foe. Burmese pythons are a menace to the local wildlife population. The Burmese Python is native to Southeast Asia. It is one of the biggest snakes in the world. Females lay as many as 35 eggs at a time. The female will stay with the eggs until the baby snakes chew their way out of their eggs. From there the baby snakes are left to fend for themselves. Burmese pythons are excellent swimmers and can remain underwater for several minutes at a time. 1

5 EXERCISE 1: INFORMATION GATHERING Answer the following questions based on what you read. 1) What does put to sleep mean? 2) In the story, what does the pet owner decide to do with his pet snake? 3) After being released, what does the snake do? 4) What happens to the Burmese python when it arrives in the Florida Everglades? 5) In the Florida Everglades, how high on the food chain are Burmese pythons? 6) From where do Burmese pythons originate? 7) How many eggs can a Burmese python lay at one time? 8) How long does the female Burmese python stay with her eggs? EXERCISE 2: WORD POWER Circle the letter of the best synonym for each of the words on the left. 1) veterinarian a) snake charmer b) pet lover c) animal doctor 2) adapt a) adjust b) return c) enjoy 3) foe a) partner b) enemy c) acquaintance 4) menace a) threat b) boon c) error 5) fend a) travel b) protect c) feed 2

6 EXERCISE 3: CROSSWORD PUZZLE Fill in the blanks below to complete the puzzle above. ACROSS: 3) Suddenly there is a and growing population of pythons in Florida. 4) You do not want the snake to be put to by a veterinarian. 6) Pythons eat other animals, competing with for top of the food chain. 7) The baby snakes their way out of their eggs. 8) The snake's natural is near water so you release the snake at a local river. 9) The Burmese python it can adapt to living in the Everglades. 10) The baby snakes are left to for themselves. DOWN: 1) Burmese pythons can remain for several minutes at a time. 2) Burmese pythons are a to the local wildlife population. 5) You you do not want to keep the snake anymore. 3