User:Matthewgaar/sandbox

In progress edit to: Invasive Species in the United States. Add sub heading "Gulf Coast" to "Invasive species by area" heading.

Gulf Coast

The Gulf South is an area that historically has been proven to be particularly susceptible to the introduction of non-native invasive species. The porous nature of this region and the numerous ports that reside within it contribute in large part to the introduction of non-native aquatic species. This region is home to one of the nation's most active ports (the Port of Orleans), in addition to numerous other large ports in Houston, Mobile, Gulfport, etc. The Mississippi River provides access to 14,500 miles of connecting waterways throughout North America through the Mississippi Delta by way of the Port of Orleans, providing for a path of little resistance for non-native species to disperse throughout the region. Among the most notable species introduced to the Gulf Coast by way of ocean-going vessels docking in these ports are: the Formosan Termite arriving by way of wooden pallets unloaded in Houston during the 1940's, Fire Ants arriving by way of soil shipments from South America in the 1910's-1940's, Asian Tiger Mosquitos arriving through Houston during the 1980's by way of stagnant water trapped in used tires.

On the coast itself, the aquatic plant species of primary concern is the Salvinia (both giant and common). This plant was listed as a Federal Noxious Weed in 1981, before this classification it arrived in America by way of Brazil to be used as a novelty plant in aquatic gardens/aquariums. These plants grow entirely or partially submerged in water, and their areas of influence include wetlands, lakes, rivers, estuaries, coastal zones, irrigation systems, hydroelectric systems, and aquaculture facilities. In areas where this plant is allowed to flourish unchecked, it often engrosses entire riverways and lakes. For example, Lake Bistineau and Caney Lakes in Webster Parish, Louisiana were entirely choked out by this invasive aquatic weed. This plant has an incredible capacity to dominate competing organisms within its ecosystem, it owes this status to its short reproductive cycle, high genetic variability, and to the fact that it can survive in nearly any type of aquatic environment.

The most problematic terrestrial plant species of this region is the Chinese Tallow tree, which was introduced to the United States in the 1700's for the purpose of cultivation in commercial nursuries. The plant was primarily cultivated for its seeds, which produce a waxy substance used in soapmaking. This tree has infiltrated the entirety of the Southeast United States, spanning from East Texas all the way to North Carolina, but it is especially prolific in the Gulf South Region. This species is particularly damaging due to the fact that its root systems change the chemical balance of soil, which in turn serves to alter the composition and structure of the native ecosystem's plant life. These trees have experienced a rapid expansion throughout the Gulf Coast region and, due to the fact that they out-compete much of the native vegetation, they threaten these areas by creating a lack of diversity which will inevitably lead to the creation of a dangerous mono-culture. Additionally, when found in wetland or marsh communities (like those found all throughout the Gulf Coast), this tree has been shown to adversely affect the amphibian and reptile populations of those regions.

The lone mammalian species threatening the gulf coast is a large rodent known as the Nutria. This species was brought to Louisiana by way of South America in hopes of bolstering a domestic fur trade. However, enough of these animals escaped and made their homes in the thousands of coastal bayous and waterways. These rats annually damage 100,000 acres of coastal wetlands with their ravenous apetite for aquatic plants, making this already vulnerable region even more susceptible to coastal erosion. Additionally, they are notorious for destroying crop yields. Nutria rats have been the target of one of the most well-known and effective control programs ever utilized by environmental protection agencies. The state of Louisiana offers $6 per Nutria tail delivered to collection centers run by local wildlife and fisheries authorities. The projected annual goal of this program is to harvest 400,000 nutria annually.

Whaling in America Edit

Once the prized blubber and spermacetti had been extracted from the whale, the remaining majority of the carcass was discarded.

Article Selection

Please list articles that you're considering for your Wikipedia assignment below. Begin to critique these articles and find relevant sources.

Option 1

Invasive species in the United States

Article Evaluation: The information provided is acceptable in the macro, but very incomplete with regard to discussing individual regions and states. I would focus specifically on Louisiana, as it is the state with the most invasive species second only to florida. The article mentions only a couple of very minor invasive species in Louisiana, glossing over the ones that have the largest affect on the ecosystem.

Sources: The sources are plentiful and credible.

I'm not sure if I should create a new article just for Louisiana, or edit this one further.

Option 2

Article title: Asian Carp (Specifically the section "As an invasive species")

Article Evaluation: Good evaluation as a whole but lacking in its description of Asian Carp as potentially the most prolific invasive species in North American watersheds.

Sources: Plentiful sources from scientific journals, government agency websites, scholarly articles, etc.

Option 3

Article title: Cancer Alley

Article Evaluation: It only has a completiveness score of 47, and I think a lot more could be said regarding how these petrochemical companies intentionally disregarded human life and destroyed large swaths of Louisiana's ecosystem.

Sources: There are only 17 sources, but for a topic as important as this I feel as though this is inadequate.

Option 4

Article title

Article Evaluation

Sources

Option 5

Article title

Article Evaluation

Sources