Invasive Marine and Estuarine Animals of Hawaii and Other Pacific Islands

Abstract

New species of estuarine and marine animals are inadvertently or intentionally introduced into the waters of the United States every year (Figure 1). Variously referred to as introduced, nonindigenous (NIS), alien, nonnative, or exotic species, most pose little or no threat; however, a few have the potential to disrupt local ecosystems, fisheries, and human infrastructure. Such invasions directly impact the mission of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) through its responsibilities for construction and maintenance of harbors, ports, and waterways; erosion control; management of water resources; and wetland and coastal habitat restoration. The general biology and ecology of invasive estuarine and marine animals have been described in previous reports (e.g., Canton (2001), Ray (2005)). This report is part of a series describing the biology and ecology of known invasive estuarine and marine animals in the major geographic regions of the United States. Invasive animals of the North Atlantic region are described and examples of species posing a specific threat to USACE activities are identified.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 2005
Accession Number
ADA437557

Entities

People

  • Gary L. Ray

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aquatic Organisms
  • Environment
  • Fish
  • Fisheries
  • Geographic Regions
  • Geography
  • Habitats
  • Marine Biology
  • New England
  • United States
  • Wildlife

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Aquatic Ecology
  • Wetland-Land-Environmental Management.