The red lionfish, Pterois volitans, has beautiful red stripes, st...

Question

The red lionfish, Pterois volitans, has beautiful red stripes, streaming fins, and a fearless disposition, and it is deadly. Native to the Pacific Ocean, the red lionfish was first discovered on coral reefs in the Bahamas in 1985. The species has spread to over 3 million square kilometers of the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Lionfish have a voracious appetite for native fish, are armed with venomous spines, and have no natural predators in their new range.

DNA studies suggest that the lionfish invasion began with just a few females released off the coast of Florida, probably from a fish tank. Based on your knowledge of ocean currents, predict the direction in which the lionfish dispersed most quickly.

Accepted Answer

Hi everyone. Here's the next problem. It says identify which of the following statements are is or are true of invasive species. Let's recall from our content, videos and invasive species. Our species not native to a geographical area that are introduced and have a negative effect on existing organisms in that area. So let's look through. We have four statements that were given. And then our answer choices are various combinations of those statements and we need to pick which describe the true statements about invasive species. So let's look at our statements here, statement P says they can cause the extinction of native plants and animals. Well this is true um if they out compete or if they're very predatory and end up um you know, eating preying on an entire species and driving into extinction. Um because often the native plants and animals don't have any natural defenses against this invasive species since they haven't evolved together in the same area. So Choice P. Or statement P. Is a true statement. I'm gonna just circle that statement Q says they can cause a reduction in biodiversity. And this is also correct um because they can uh when they out compete, native species or are predate them to the point of extinction. You see fewer and fewer different species in that area, which is the meaning of biodiversity. So Choice Q. Or statement Q. Is also true of invasive species. Statement are says they are less adapted to the environment. Well, this is a false statement. Um they are not necessarily less adapted to the environment. Um invasive species are often highly adaptive and can grow better than the native species that are there. So statement are is not true. Finally we have statement s. Statement S. Says they are considered aliens. And this is true because their species that come from outside, they're not native to a particular area. They've been brought from outside whether carried in on cargo or purposely introduced by humans or other means of bringing them into an area where they aren't native. So that's also a true statement. So our true statements here are P. Q. And R. I'm sorry P. Q. And S. With are not being true. So we can actually to make this a little quicker go through. Look at our answer choices and eliminate anything that has R. In it. Since that's a false statement. So Choice A. Says P. And R. So it can't be choice A. Choice B. Is Q. And R. So we also eliminate that choice C. Is P. Q. And S. So that's a possibility. Choice D. Is P. Q. R. And S. So we're gonna eliminate that again. We're left with only one choice that doesn't have our in it. So Choice C. Must be correct. P. Q. And S. And we can look back at our statements and confirm that P. Q. And S. Are indeed true statements about invasive species. So answer choice C. Is our answer, invasive species can cause the extinction of native plants and animals. They can cause a reduction of biodiversity and they're considered aliens. See you in the next video.

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