Gregory+Niguidula+-+Draft+Background

Invasive species have been a major research focus in the ecology community ever since Charles Elton introduced the concept over five decades ago (Elton 1958). Since then, great strides have been made in understanding the mechanisms of invasion. The concept of invasive species remains a very important one in ecology as well as in policy. For example, the Alien Species Prevention and Enforcement Act of 1992 is just one of the many acts that have been put in place for the sole purpose of preventing invasive species from spreading. Various tools have been developed to allow for more informed decision making when it comes to invasive species management including a test for when a species population has been sufficiently reduced (Solow et al. 2008) and a decision-making model for prioritizing where resources should be allocated when multiple invasions are to be dealt with (Skurka Darin et al. 2011). However, the definition of the term “invasive species” remains a contentious topic and what qualifies as an invasive species is cause for confusion, even among scientists. There have been several attempts to define this and other terms, but with little success (Davis & Thompson 2000). In recent years, a few papers produced by researchers at Brown University have identified cases in which species classified as invasive actually allowed for the reversal of damage done to ecosystems by anthropogenic activity (Bertness & Coverdale 2013). Studies that directly address the social and cultural implications of invasive species have been published, but the majority of this work has been done in Europe. In Scotland, a survey study identified several factors influencing public attitudes toward invasive species management including the type of species, demographics, and so on (Bremner & Park 2007). Another group in the United Kingdom conducted a qualitative study of both the public and professional views of invasive species. Through interviews and group discussions it was found that the connotation of the term “non-native” varied heavily between individuals and that certain frameworks, such as the idea that combating invasive species is or is not a human responsibility, were largely ignored by the current scientific discourse (Selge et al. 2011). Most recently, a research team from France and Australia posited the idea that human attitudes toward invasive species are generally driven by the species’ effects on the nature they desire (“desired natures”) and not necessarily nature itself (Tassin & Kull 2015). This project will draw heavily upon this recent article and expand the developing discourse surrounding the direct and indirect effects of invasive species by exploring their social effects in North America.