The oceans cover over 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and play host to a range of life forms, from the most simple to the most advanced, with all ranges between them possible as they play in marine ecosystems everywhere. These factors are ballast water in ships, hull fouling, and aquaculture.
The typical example of an invasive species is the zebra mussel. Native to freshwater lakes in Eastern Europe, this species has already dispersed via ballast water throughout such a wide portion of the world that the full ecological and costly economic effects of its invasion have long since been appreciated in most locales. Another very good example is the Indo-Pacific lionfish, which is also a very voracious eater that has been responsible for decimating many coral reef ecosystems in the Atlantic Ocean.
Once established, invasive species will rapidly establish themselves in and proliferate in their host habitats simply because, generally, they may no longer be repressed by predators or competitors, for example. The invasion of other flora and fauna varieties will be resultant with consequences bearing an ecosystem or economic dimension or others. Ecologically, they are hence the reason behind extinctions among domesticated species.
Gradual but sure overturning of food chains would bring about an overall devastating outcome on a habitat. This list of highly likely economies to be devastated by these introduced species includes fisheries and tourism as well as a range of other businesses operating in the saltwater environment. Management aside from impacts already costing billions yearly.
The European green crab is a small, vicious predator that preys on native crustaceans, thereby threatening their populations. It has invaded the coastal waters around the world. Apart from the loss of commercially valuable production, the feeding activities associated with green crab consumption have devastated beds of eelgrasses on which many dependent marine organisms rely. Similarly, invasive algae species like Caulerpa taxifolia have smothered native seagrass meadows in the Mediterranean, changing whole ecosystems and reducing biodiversity.
Climatic changes exacerbate the invasive species problem by giving opportunities for the expansion of new populations. Changes in ocean currents and sea temperature open up an avenue through which the invasion of such new species into an area hitherto which may not support them is taking place. Species of tropical origin move northwards to the temperate zones and ecosystems that will be very well supported now that their suitable environments are presented; native species there are poorly adapted to compete with such new arrivals. Climate change also indirectly impacts through ocean acidification, further stressing native species and giving the invasives a competitive edge.
Control efforts against invasive species in marine environments are multi-dimensional. The best strategy is prevention, as generally it is impossible for almost all agreements of practitioners to eradicate once the invasive species is established. That is why international regulations, such as the International Maritime Organisation Ballast Water Management Convention, minimise the spread of invasive species by mandating that ships obligatorily treat ballast water before its release. Other measures of cleaning ship hulls and regulating aquaculture practices may alleviate the risk introduced by a non-native species.
Public awareness and community involvement are also an important part of solving this problem. In the light of the abovementioned information, education of the stakeholders can ensure that responsible practice is exhibited among the fishermen, recreational boaters, and coastal communities with regard to risks that invasive species may pose. An example can be fishing gear cleaning and boats before transporting them to a new place; it may even avoid the spreading of invasive species by a mile. Others include other forms of roles whereby citizen science activities are conducting the surveillance for the invasive species whose volunteer reports would cause them to catch a glimpse, and it was perceived to be one of the earliest warning system mechanisms and actions. Once there is the detection of an invasive species, its distribution needs to be checked through immediate actions after detection. Already, manual removal, chemical treatments, and biological control have been variably applied so far. For example, lionfish removals on the Atlantic reefs have been diversified using the process of manual removal, while numerous public campaigns encourage consumption of the species of fish in public in efforts to control the population of the fish species. In this respect, prevention is generally more crucial than the process of control.
It also involves the resilience restoration and preservation in native ecosystems. An invasive species will find it difficult to invade a healthy ecosystem, and a healthy population of native species can effectively compete against the invader. This protection approach includes the marine habitats and reduction in pollution and climatic changes. Conservation of coral reefs and mangroves will help to support the home for native species, and it also can strengthen the ecosystem in relation to dealing with the pressure from invasive species.
In conclusion, the marine environment has an invasive species problem, where collective responsibility demands the global cooperation of mankind. Different segments of society will have to come together—working in tandem—and that includes governments, scientists, industries, and individuals. Though a desperate emergent challenge, the issue remains definitely within our purview, especially if we collectively act decisively. The trouble, therefore, can’t be at all identified directly with marine biodiversity; rather, the state of the health that earth faces is such that it depicts how best we protect the future by rescuing our oceans from the plague of such invasive species.