In his book, “Invasive Aliens: The Plants and Animals From Over There That Are Over Here”, Dan Eatherley constructs a fairly complete story all about how humans have directly or indirectly assisted things that were once located in only one place to now be present in more than one place and the consequence of this propagation. That was a very long sentence. I hope you’re still with me.
Eatherley points out it’s been humans at the apex with all other non-native species following or being dragged behind us. Non-native species have had so much success travelling because we brought them places. This simple distinction is often overlooked. We assume they move on their own or some historical or foreign figure brought these species purposefully. Nope.
There has been a lot gained from bringing one thing from way over there to way over here as humans moved - such as grains to eat and domesticated animals to, well, eat at first, and then we discovered we could exploit them in life, eat them, and then wear them.
During the lean years of 1950s China, it was estimated that for every 1,000,000 sparrows removed (sparrows are almost everywhere that humans are), 60,000 humans could be fed - that was how much it was estimated that sparrows affected the food supply in China at that time! The authorities making these projections failed to examine the consequences and rushed into sparrow minimisation. Locusts and other insects sparrows had been keeping in check created a crop shortage resulting in a backfired famine responsible for the deaths of 15-55 million people and is considered one of the greatest man-made disasters in human history. After this, China begged Russia to give them sparrows.
Did you know the carrots in your garden probably trace their ‘green-ealogy’ (though ‘orange-alogy’ would be more apt) to southern Europe. Imagine that as an episode of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’
Of course, some species don’t offer benefits when rehomed and instead damage lots and just refuse to leave. In the UK, Japanese Knotweed, Rhododendron, and the fungus causing Ash Dieback spring to mind - FYI, Protect Earth are now certified in Rhododendron removal. Please contact if you’re in need of our services.
This is the world we created millennia ago and continue changing.
Dan’s book is very informative and, as can be extrapolated from the title (which is what caught my eye), full of dry humour. The book isn’t condescending, blaming, patronising, or any other negative ‘ing’ ending word - and especially not boring, which, if approached differently, the subject matter could easily be. Dan has made learning more about the unnatural movement of natural things accessible.
As the world turns, it’s continuously changing - for better and worse. These changes result in things we like and others wreaking huge impacts on nature and our quality of life, which is all explored in Dan’s book.
To find out more including where to buy go to daneatherley.com.