Invasive Species – Vol. 8 No. 1
In this edition of Natural Inquirer, you will learn about several different invasive species. Invasive species are plants, animals, or organisms that are not native to the ecosystem they are in, and are likely to cause harm to the environment, the economy, or human health. You will learn about how these invasive species spread and the studies that scientists conduct to better understand and stop the spread of invasive species. After this Natural Inquirer edition, you will be able to help spread the word about what invasive species are and how to control them!
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Highlights
- 7 Articles
- 7 Activities
- 20 Scientists
- Glossary
- Lesson Plan
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Sudden oak death is a new disease of trees and plants in the United States and Europe. Although scientists are not certain, they believe the fungus-like organism that causes sudden oak death was brought...Moving Spore-adically: The Spread of Sudden Oak Death in California Forests
Sudden oak death is a new disease of trees and plants in the United States and Europe. Although scientists are not certain, they believe the fungus-like organism that causes sudden oak death was brought... -
The nun moth is a major pest of conifers and an occasional pest of broadleaf trees in Europe and Asia. The scientist in this study wanted to discover which trees...And Then There Were Nun: Trees That Could Be Endangered by a Nun Moth Invasion
The nun moth is a major pest of conifers and an occasional pest of broadleaf trees in Europe and Asia. The scientist in this study wanted to discover which trees... -
The scientists were interested in discovering whether the Pacific tree frog population might also be affected by the presence of nonnative trout, similar to the way these trout had affected the mountain yellow-legged frog population....Knocked Out By Trout: The Relationship Between Nonnative Trout and Pacific Tree Frogs
The scientists were interested in discovering whether the Pacific tree frog population might also be affected by the presence of nonnative trout, similar to the way these trout had affected the mountain yellow-legged frog population.... -
The pine shoot beetle is an invasive species in the Great Lakes region of the United States. The pine shoot beetle was brought to the United States from Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. The...Shoot! Foiled Again! Using Chemicals to Discourage the Pine Shoot Beetle
The pine shoot beetle is an invasive species in the Great Lakes region of the United States. The pine shoot beetle was brought to the United States from Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. The... -
The Asian long-horned beetle is an insect pest that was discovered in New York in 1996 and Chicago in 1998. It arrived in the United States on wood packing material that was being used...Tag, You’re It! Using Harmonic Radar to Track the Flight of Beetles
The Asian long-horned beetle is an insect pest that was discovered in New York in 1996 and Chicago in 1998. It arrived in the United States on wood packing material that was being used... -
The Oriental bittersweet is a vine that was transported to the United States from Asia in 1860. Oriental bittersweet escaped from gardens and has spread into natural areas where it is not native. When...Hurry Up and Wait: Investigating an Unusual Strategy for Invasion
The Oriental bittersweet is a vine that was transported to the United States from Asia in 1860. Oriental bittersweet escaped from gardens and has spread into natural areas where it is not native. When... -
In the Western United States, spotted knapweed is one of the most widely found nonnative plants. Spotted knapweed was brought to the United States from Eastern Europe in the early 1900s. To control the...Goll-ly! Don’t Take a Knapweed! The Impact of Nonnative Plants and Animals on Deer Mice
In the Western United States, spotted knapweed is one of the most widely found nonnative plants. Spotted knapweed was brought to the United States from Eastern Europe in the early 1900s. To control the...
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Invasive Species Edition - Who or What Am I?
Glossary
View All GlossaryClassroom Review Board
Tom Grudowski’s 6th Grade Science Class
- Oconee County Middle School
- Watkinsville, GA
Editorial Review Board Comments
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Stephen Burke
In the 1980s, I created a special chemical in a chemistry lab. This was a powerful pheromone that is a very strong attractant for a particular species of beetle. This...View Profile -
Jennifer Davidson
My most exciting moment as a scientist came while walking in the forest in the rain, collecting bay laurel leaves infected by sudden oak death and quickly taking them to...View Profile -
Peter De Groot
My favorite science experience is working outdoors to set up and run my experiments so that I can discover new facts about trees and forest insects.View Profile -
Kristen Falk
This past winter I was collecting data in the woods. I was putting data into the computer from a weather station. When I’m in the woods, I hear all kinds...View Profile -
Cathryn Greenberg
My favorite science experience is learning how animals need plants for food and habitat and how many plants also need animals to disperse their seeds to new places.View Profile -
Robert Haack
My favorite science experience happened in ancient history (1975-1978) when I was working as a forester in the Peace Corps in Guatemala in Central America. There was a massive outbreak...View Profile -
Melody Keena
I enjoy science because I get to discover things and solve mysteries just like a detective or crime scene investigator. The insects I work with come into this country hiding...View Profile -
Ronald Knapp
My favorite science experience is spending my summers in the mountains, counting frogs, catching bugs, and enjoying the most beautiful ‘office’ in the world.View Profile -
Kathleen Matthews
My favorite science experience was seeing the results of our research used in new management programs that led to increased amphibian populations.View Profile -
Lindsay Moody
My favorite science experience occurred when I was teaching high school. I taught Earth/ environmental science and did a stream study on our campus with each class. I loved seeing...View Profile -
Reginald Nott
My favorite science experience had to be meeting Dr. Roberta Bondar who worked at the Great Lakes Forestry Centre when she was a student attending university. Dr. Roberta Bondar was...View Profile -
Yvette Ortega
“I grew up in southern California in a big city. My first biology job took me all the way to the wilds of Alaska. That convinced me that I was...View Profile -
Heather Patterson
I have really enjoyed all the hiking around I get to do in beautiful State parks. My favorite science experience was the time Kristen Falk, another scientist in this experiment,...View Profile -
Dean Pearson
My favorite science experience is when I can prove a scientific hypothesis. I work in a special scientific area called community ecology. Community ecology addresses the relationships of different kinds...View Profile -
Therese Poland
My favorite research experience was working in China. The experience was so different from the United States. Many local farmers and children came to help us. The area had very...View Profile -
Karen Pope
My favorite science experience was learning about the different strategies animals use to survive in their natural environment. For example, mountain yellow-legged frogs survive the long, cold winter in the...View Profile -
Haiganoush Preisler
My favorite science experience is talking with scientists about a new data set!!!! For a statistician (stat uh stish un), happiness is a new data set! Statisticians are people who...View Profile -
David Wakarchuk
One of my most exciting moments as a chemist occurred when we took the first pheromone lures into the field during a beetle flight. It had taken several months of...View Profile -
David Williams
One of my most interesting science experiences was placing tags on Asian long-horned beetles. Because the beetles eat through wood in their early life stages, they have very strong jaws....View Profile
Note To Educators
The Forest Service's Mission
The Forest Service’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. For more than 100 years, our motto has been “caring for the land and serving people.” The Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), recognizes its responsibility to be engaged in efforts to connect youth to nature and to promote the development of science-based conservation education programs and materials nationwide.
What Is the Natural Inquirer?
Natural Inquirer is a science education resource journal to be used by students in grade 6 and up. Natural Inquirer contains articles describing environmental and natural resource research conducted by Forest Service scientists and their cooperators. These scientific journal articles have been reformatted to meet the needs of middle school students. The articles are easy to understand, are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, contain glossaries, and include hands-on activities. The goal of Natural Inquirer is to stimulate critical reading and thinking about scientific inquiry and investigation while teaching about ecology, the natural environment, and natural resources.
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Meet the Scientists
Introduces students to the scientists who did the research. This section may be used in a discussion about careers in science.
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What Kinds of Scientist Did This Research?
Introduces students to the scientific disciplines of the scientists who conducted the research.
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Thinking About Science
Introduces something new about the scientific process, such as a scientific habit of mind or procedures used in scientific studies.
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Thinking About the Environment
Introduces the environmental topic being addressed in the research.
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Introduction
Introduces the problem or question that the research addresses.
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Method
Describes the method the scientists used to collect and analyze their data.
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Findings & Discussion
Describes the results of the analysis. Addresses the findings and places them into the context of the original problem or question.
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Reflection Section
Presents questions aimed at stimulating critical thinking about what has been read or predicting what might be presented in the next section. These questions are placed at the end of each of the main article sections.
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Number Crunches
Presents an easy math problem related to the research.
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Glossary
Defines potentially new scientific or other terms to students. The first occurrence of a glossary word is bold in the text.
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Citation
Gives the original article citation with an internet link to the original article.
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FACTivity
Presents a hands-on activity that emphasizes something presented in the article.
Science Education Standards
You will find a listing of education standards which are addressed by each article at the back of each publication and on our website.
We Welcome Feedback
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Contact
Jessica Nickelsen
Director, Natural Inquirer program -
Email
Lessons
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In this lesson plan, students learn about invasive species in their area and create brochures educating others about their characteristics. Materials: Internet or library access for research Paper and writing...Lesson Plan – Invasive Species
In this lesson plan, students learn about invasive species in their area and create brochures educating others about their characteristics. Materials: Internet or library access for research Paper and writing...