Inspecting Invaders: The Finale

Today is a sad day, for it marks the final stage of the Inspecting Invaders journey. We've had 21 posts along the way. There have been highs and there have been lows. Some witty titles and some terrible, terrible jokes. Overall though, I feel like a completely different person from when I came into this process...

...what do you mean this isn't the X Factor? I'm emotional ok...

It's been a long road... but we got there.

At the start of this blog, I set out to explore the impacts that invasive species have had within the context of environmental change. Though, quite frankly, I'm surprised anyone continued to read after my introductory ramble.

We've looked at everything from squirrels to invasive ghost fish, how we used to be invasive species and now, how we manage them. There have been problematic invasive species pretty much on my doorstep and on the other side of the world. Heck, there was even a quiz in there somewhere.

What have I gathered from writing this blog? Well, it may seem obvious but I'm going to reinforce it. Invasive species are a large concern in a variety of ecosystems; they have been in the past and will continue to be in future, as our global environment continues to change.

The funky wordle below also summarises the blog pretty well. Unsurprisingly, the words 'invasive' and 'species' feature heavily, so clearly (and fortunately) my occasional  frequent rambles didn't detract from the focus too much.

Other larger words include the brothers in arms 'et' and 'al', given the group nature of academic research. 'Change', 'impacts' and 'spread' also stand out, perhaps due to the fact that environmental changes can often be key facilitators of invasive species introductions to new areas and their expansion.

Additionally, the words 'negative' and 'positive' are both present in the wordle, highlighting the fact that invasive species do not always have adverse effects within a given environment. 

Where invasive species rank in terms of other issues our planet is facing is open to debate, but having read about their very serious consequences, in certain cases we should be very concerned indeed.

I have very much enjoyed writing this blog and I've learnt a lot at the same time. I hope you've found it interesting and enjoyed reading it too.

Over and out (and this time I mean it)

The Invader Inspector