the tourist as an invasive species

1.02022 Archive of RENATURED, Marina Zurkow's Research Bloghttps://o-matic.com/blog-archive-2022Marinahttps://o-matic.com/blog-archive-2022/blog/author/admin/the tourist as an invasive species[caption id="attachment_1040" align="aligncenter" width="293" caption="German Tourists. Photo: Ancia Ontour "]<img class="size-full wp-image-1040" title="germantourists" src="https://o-matic.com/blog-archive-2022//wp-content/uploads/2009/06/germantourists.jpg" alt="Photo: Ancia Ontour" width="293" height="219" />[/caption] Here are some common traits belonging to invasive species . A tourist fulfills most of the criteria on the checklist. <ul> <li>The ability to reproduce both <a title="Asexual reproduction" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asexual_reproduction">asexually</a> as well as <a title="Sex" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex">sexually </a>(garbage and cultural leavings as a byproduct)<a title="Sex" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex"> </a></li> <li>Fast growth</li> <li>Rapid <a title="Reproduction" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproduction">reproduction</a> (not restricted to babies)<a title="Reproduction" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproduction"> </a></li> <li>High <a title="Dispersal" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dispersal">dispersal</a> ability (planes trains tour-buses cruise ships)</li> <li><a title="Phenotypic plasticity" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenotypic_plasticity">Phenotypic plasticity</a> (the ability to alter one’s growth form to suit current conditions) (dress native, get all the right travel gear, dip in and out of cultures)</li> </ul> [caption id="attachment_1042" align="aligncenter" width="261" caption="Tourists in Alaska"]<img class="size-full wp-image-1042" title="alaska-intro" src="https://o-matic.com/blog-archive-2022//wp-content/uploads/2009/06/alaska-intro.jpg" alt="Tourists in Alaska" width="261" height="195" />[/caption] <ul> <li>Tolerance of a wide range of environmental conditions (<a title="Generalist and specialist species" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generalist_and_specialist_species">generalist</a>) (again, specialized gear)</li> <li>Ability to live off of a wide range of food types (generalist) (when in Rome...)</li> <li>Association with humans (anthro-fetishism and the McDonald's phenomenon)</li> <li>Other successful invasions (war and peace)</li> </ul> (from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasive_species" target="_blank">wikipedia</a>) [caption id="attachment_1038" align="aligncenter" width="297" caption="Tourists buying postcards at Yellowstone National Park, 1946. Photo - Alfred Eisenstaedt"]<img class="size-full wp-image-1038" title="Tourists buying postcards at Yellowstone National Park." src="https://o-matic.com/blog-archive-2022//wp-content/uploads/2009/06/c.jpg" alt="Tourists buying postcards at Yellowstone National Park, 1946. Photo - Alfred Eisenstaedt" width="297" height="351" />[/caption]rich