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92-741: The Scotia Sea is the area of water between the Drake Passage, Tierra del Fuego , South Georgia , the South Sandwich Islands , the South Orkney Islands , and the Antarctic Peninsula . These island groups all sit atop the Scotia Arc, which frames the sea on the north, east, and south. The Scotia Sea covers an area around 900,000 km (347,500 sq mi). About half of the sea stands above

184-400: A Dutch East India Company expedition in 1616 learned more about the geography. The latter expedition named Cape Horn at Hornos Island . On his first voyage with HMS  Beagle in 1830, Robert FitzRoy picked up four native Fuegians , including " Jemmy Button " ( Orundellico ) and Yokcushlu , and brought them to England. The three who survived the voyage were taken to London to meet

276-607: A Romanian explorer, was one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the region. Granted rights by the Argentine government to exploit any gold deposits he found in Tierra del Fuego, Popper has been identified as a central figure in the Selk'nam genocide . Following contact with Europeans, the native Selk'nam and Yaghan populations were greatly reduced by unequal conflict and persecution by settlers, by infectious diseases to which

368-415: A planetary body after the former is introduced by a space probe or spacecraft , either deliberately or unintentionally. It has also been hypothesized that the origin of life on earth is due to introductions of life from other planets billions of years ago, possibly by a sentient race. Projects have been proposed to introduce life to other lifeless but habitable planets in other star systems some time in

460-619: A site of special scientific interest . The seals are further protected by international agreements, and fur seal populations are recovering. [REDACTED]  This article incorporates public domain material from "Scotia Sea" . Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey .   [REDACTED] Tierra del Fuego Tierra del Fuego ( / t i ˈ ɛər ə d ɛ l ˈ f w eɪ ɡ oʊ / , Spanish: [ˈtjera ðel ˈfweɣo] ; Spanish for " Land of Fire ", rarely also Fireland in English)

552-500: A base for fishing and seal hunting. Wildlife on these remote islands is threatened by introduced species , especially on South Georgia, where even large animals, including (now removed) reindeer , have been brought to the islands. Further damage to ecosystems results from overfishing. South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, and Bouvet Island are protected as nature reserves, with Bird Island, South Georgia , being

644-510: A glacier-carved depression in a pull-apart basin that has developed along the Magallanes-Fagnano Fault zone. Podzols and inceptisols occur beneath Nothofagus betuloides forests in Tierra del Fuego. The Tierra del Fuego region has a subpolar oceanic climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfc ) with short, cool summers and long, wet, moderately mild winters: the precipitation averages 3,000 mm (118 in)

736-406: A main island, Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego , often simply called Tierra del Fuego or Isla Grande, with an area of 48,100 km (18,572 sq mi), and a group of smaller islands. Of the main island the westernmost 29,484.7 km (11,384 sq mi , 61.43%) belongs to Chile, and 18,507.3 km (7,146 sq mi , 38.57%) belongs to Argentina. The archipelago is divided by an east–west channel,

828-830: A native of East Asia, has been introduced into parts of Europe for ornamental reasons. Many plants have been introduced with the intent of aesthetically improving public recreation areas or private properties. The introduced Norway maple for example occupies a prominent status in many of Canada's parks. The transport of ornamental plants for landscaping use has and continues to be a source of many introductions. Some of these species have escaped horticultural control and become invasive. Notable examples include water hyacinth , salt cedar , and purple loosestrife . In other cases, species have been translocated for reasons of "cultural nostalgia", which refers to instances in which humans who have migrated to new regions have intentionally brought with them familiar organisms. Famous examples include

920-437: A new region may escape from captive or cultivated populations and subsequently establish independent breeding populations. Escaped organisms are included in this category because their initial transport to a new region is human motivated. The widespread phenomena of intentional introduction has also been described as biological globalization . Positive Introductions Although most introduced species have negative impacts on

1012-584: A novel environment (e.g.: in Europe , house sparrows are well established since early Iron Age though they originated from Asia ). Immigrant species are species that travel, sometimes by themselves, but often with human help, between two habitats. Invasiveness is not a requirement. Introduction of a species outside its native range is all that is required to be qualified as an "introduced species". Such species might be termed naturalized , "established", or "wild non-native species". If they further spread beyond

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1104-463: A parasite or herbivore with it. Some become invasive, for example, the oleander aphid , accidentally introduced with the ornamental plant, oleander . Yet another unintentional pathway of introduction is during the delivery of humanitarian aid in the aftermath of natural disasters. This occurred during relief efforts for Hurricane Maria in Dominica , it was found that the common green iguana ,

1196-457: A plains region ( Spanish : Región de las Planicies Orientales ) plus a sub-Andean zone in-between the last two zones ( Spanish : Región Sub-Andina Oriental ). The geology of the archipelago is influenced by the effects of the Andean orogeny and the repeated Pleistocene glaciations . The geology of the island can be divided into large east–west-oriented units. The southwestern islands of

1288-467: A population decrease. This was seen in the Atlantic Salmon population when high levels of escape from Atlantic Salmon farms into the wild populations resulted in hybrids that had reduced survival. Potential positive effects include adding to the genetic diversity of the population which can increase the adaptation ability of the population and increase the number of healthy individuals within

1380-758: A population. This was seen in the introduction of guppies in Trinidad to encourage population growth and introduce new alleles into the population. The results of this introduction included increased levels of heterozygosity and a larger population size . Wide-spread introductions of non-native iguanas are causing devastating effects on native Iguana populations in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles , as hybrids appear to have higher fitness than native iguanas, leading to competitive outcompetition and replacement. Numerous populations have already become extinct and hybridization continues to reduce

1472-449: A species is considered "introduced" when its transport into an area outside of its native range is human mediated. Introductions by humans can be described as either intentional or accidental. Intentional introductions have been motivated by individuals or groups who either (1) believe that the newly introduced species will be in some way beneficial to humans in its new location or, (2) species are introduced intentionally but with no regard to

1564-476: A year in the far west, but precipitation decreases rapidly towards the eastern side. Temperatures are steady throughout the year: in Ushuaia they hardly surpass 9 °C (48 °F) in summers and average 0 °C (32 °F) in winters. Snowfall can occur in summer. The cold and wet summers help preserve the ancient glaciers . The southernmost islands possess a sub-antarctic climate typical of tundra that makes

1656-437: Is a prominent area to watch rare, endemic dolphins, and the less-studied pygmy right whales . Pinnipeds inhabiting the areas include South American sea lions ( Otaria flavescens ), South American fur seals ( Arctophoca australis ), the carnivorous and seal-eating leopard seals ( Hydrurga leptonyx ), and gigantic southern elephant seals ( Mirounga leonine )  – the largest extant marine mammal that

1748-421: Is also home to the lizard with the world's southernmost distribution, Liolaemus magellanicus . North American beavers , introduced during the 1940s, have proliferated and caused considerable damage to the island forests. The governments have established a wide-reaching program to trap and kill beavers in Tierra del Fuego. Like the mainland of Chile and Argentina to the north, this archipelago boasts some of

1840-531: Is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland , across the Strait of Magellan . The archipelago consists of the main island, Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego , with an area of 48,100 km (18,572 sq mi), and a group of many islands, including Cape Horn and Diego Ramírez Islands . Tierra del Fuego is divided between Argentina , which controls the eastern part of

1932-528: Is highly variable. Some have a substantial negative effect on a local ecosystem (in which case they are also classified more specifically as an invasive species ), while other introduced species may have little or no negative impact (no invasiveness), and integrate well into the ecosystem they have been introduced to. Some species have been introduced intentionally to combat pests. They are called biocontrols and may be regarded as beneficial as an alternative to pesticides in agriculture for example. In some instances

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2024-512: Is known to underlie some of the oil wells in northern Tierra del Fuego. The Magallanes–Fagnano Fault , a sinistral strike slip fault crosses the southern part of the main island from west to east. It is an active fault , located inside and parallel to the Fuegian fold and thrust belt , and marks the boundary between a southern belt of Paleozoic meta sediments and a northern Mesozoic belt of sedimentary sequences. Fagnano Lake occupies

2116-488: Is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health". The biological definition of invasive species, on the other hand, makes no reference to the harm they may cause, only to the fact that they spread beyond the area of original introduction. Some argue that "invasive" is a loaded word and harm is difficult to define. From a regulatory perspective, it is neither desirable nor practical to list as undesirable or outright ban all non-native species (although

2208-524: Is not a cetacean . The following table lists islands over 1 km . Area figures are from the USGS unless otherwise specified. Today, the main economic activities of the archipelago are fishing, extraction of natural gas and oil , sheep farming , and ecotourism . Tourism is gaining increasing importance as it attracts numerous upmarket visitors. Much of the tourism is based on "southernmost" claims: for example, both Ushuaia and Puerto Williams claim to be

2300-493: Is seldom understood in the beginning, and many non-native ornamentals languish in the trade for years before suddenly naturalizing and becoming invasive. Studies have shown that introduced species display a greater likeliness of naturalizing when there is an appropriate environmental match, the plant species are short lived herbs or cultivate from seeds. Peaches , for example, originated in China, and have been carried to much of

2392-575: Is the European rabbit in Australia . Thomas Austin , a British landowner, had rabbits released on his estate in Victoria because he missed hunting them. A more recent example is the introduction of the common wall lizard ( Podarcis muralis) to North America by a Cincinnati boy, George Rau, around 1950 after a family vacation to Italy . Intentional introductions have also been undertaken with

2484-593: Is the seaweed Caulerpa taxifolia . Caulerpa was first observed in the Mediterranean Sea in 1984, off the coast of Monaco . By 1997, it had covered some 50 km . It has a strong potential to overgrow natural biotopes , and represents a major risk for sublittoral ecosystems . The origin of the alga in the Mediterranean was thought to be either as a migration through the Suez Canal from

2576-859: Is the reintroduction of a species that has become locally endangered or extinct, done in the interests of conservation. Examples of successful reintroductions include wolves to Yellowstone National Park in the U.S., and the red kite to parts of England and Scotland. Introductions or translocations of species have also been proposed in the interest of genetic conservation , which advocates the introduction of new individuals into genetically depauperate populations of endangered or threatened species. Unintentional introductions occur when species are transported by human vectors. Increasing rates of human travel are providing accelerating opportunities for species to be accidentally transported into areas in which they are not considered native. For example, three species of rat (the black, Norway and Polynesian) have spread to most of

2668-551: Is the small Indian mongoose ( Urva auropunctata ). Originating in a region encompassing Iran and India , it was introduced to the West Indies and Hawaii in the late 1800s for pest control. Since then, it has thrived on prey unequipped to deal with its speed, nearly leading to the local extinction of a variety of species. In some cases, introduced animals may unintentionally promote the cause of rewilding . For example, escaped horses and donkeys that have gone feral in

2760-594: The American bison and the turkey are non-native species to North America. Collectively, non-native crops and livestock account for 98% of US food. These and other benefits from non-natives are so vast that, according to the Congressional Research Service, they probably exceed the costs. Other examples of species introduced for the purposes of benefiting agriculture , aquaculture or other economic activities are widespread. Eurasian carp

2852-684: The Australian Dung Beetle Project in an effort to reduce the impact of livestock manure. The timber industry promoted the introduction of Monterey pine ( Pinus radiata ) from California to Australia and New Zealand as a commercial timber crop. These examples represent only a small subsample of species that have been moved by humans for economic interests. The rise in the use of genetically modified organisms has added another potential economic advantage to introducing new/modified species into different environments. Companies such as Monsanto that earn much of their profit through

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2944-626: The Beagle Channel , immediately south of the main island. The largest islands south of the Beagle Channel are Hoste and Navarino . The western part of the main island, and almost all the other islands, belong to Chile. They are part of the Magallanes y Antártica Chilena Region , the capital and chief town of which is Punta Arenas , situated on the mainland across the strait. The largest Chilean towns are Porvenir , capital of

3036-553: The Cuban tree frog , and potentially the Venezuela snouted tree frog were introduced with the former two becoming established. Most accidentally or intentionally introduced species do not become invasive as the ones mentioned above. For instance, Some 179 coccinellid species have been introduced to the U.S. and Canada; about 27 of these non-native species have become established, and only a handful can be considered invasive, including

3128-560: The State of Hawaii has adopted an approach that comes close to this). Regulations require a definitional distinction between non-natives that are deemed especially onerous and all others. Introduced "pest" species, that are officially listed as invasive, best fit the definition of an invasive species. Early detection and rapid response is the most effective strategy for regulating a pest species and reducing economic and environmental impacts of an introduction. Management of invasion pathways are on

3220-580: The cane toad and red fox in Australia , nutria in North America , Eurasia , and Africa , and the common brushtail possum in New Zealand . In Taiwan , the success of introduced bird species was related to their native range size and body size; larger species with larger native range sizes were found to have larger introduced range sizes. One notoriously devastating introduced species

3312-677: The continental shelf . The sea was named about 1932 after the Scotia , the expedition ship used in these waters by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition (1902–04) under William S. Bruce . The most famous traverse of this frigid sea was made near the end of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition in 1916 by Sir Ernest Shackleton and five others in the adapted lifeboat James Caird . They left Elephant Island , just off

3404-458: The "southernmost city in the world". On the Argentine side of Tierra del Fuego, the government has promoted the establishment of several electronic companies via tax exemptions, particularly in the city of Río Grande . Energy production is a crucial economic activity. On the Argentine side of Tierra del Fuego during the period 2005–2010, petroleum and natural gas extraction contributed 20% of

3496-514: The 1940s Chile and Argentina lodged their Antarctic claims. In the 1950s, the Chilean military founded Puerto Williams . In the 1960s and 1970s, sovereignty claims by Argentina over Picton, Lennox, and Nueva Islands in Tierra del Fuego led the two countries to the brink of war. In 1986, the Argentine congress decided that the Argentine part of Tierra del Fuego should be a new province. This happened in 26 April 1990. The archipelago consists of

3588-573: The Americas may play ecological roles similar to those of the equids that became extinct there at the end of the Pleistocene . The exotic pet trade has also been a large source of introduced species. The species favored as pets have more general habitat requirements and larger distributions. Therefore, as these pets escape or are released, unintentionally or intentionally, they are more likely to survive and establish non-native populations in

3680-554: The Antarctic fur seal ( Arctocephalus gazella ) and sub-Antarctic fur seal ( Arctocephalus tropicalis ) in large numbers, leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) , Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) , the huge southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) , and crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophagus) . Although the Scotia Arc islands have a harsh climate and have never been permanently occupied, they have long been used as

3772-563: The Chilean Province of Tierra del Fuego , located on the main island, and, on Navarino Island, Puerto Williams , which is the capital of the Antártica Chilena Province . Puerto Toro lies a few kilometers south of Puerto Williams. Arguably, it is the southernmost village in the world. The mostly uninhabited islands north and west of the main island are part of Magallanes Province . The eastern part of

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3864-697: The Indian subcontinent and is impacting a range of wild species including urban birds. Most introduced species do not become invasive. Examples of introduced animals that have become invasive include the gypsy moth in eastern North America , the zebra mussel and alewife in the Great Lakes , the Canada goose and gray squirrel in Europe, the beaver in Tierra del Fuego , the muskrat in Europe and Asia ,

3956-433: The Mediterranean region, where it can form monocultures that threaten critical conservation habitats. Japanese knotweed grows profusely in many nations. Human beings introduced it into many places in the 19th century. It is a source of resveratrol , a dietary supplement. It can grow in building foundations, threatening their stability, and spreads quite quickly. Mesquite ( Prosopis juliflora ) has spread very widely across

4048-681: The Red Sea, or as an accidental introduction from an aquarium. Another troublesome plant species is the terrestrial plant Phyla canescens , which was intentionally introduced into many countries in North America, Europe, and Africa as an ornamental plant. This species has become invasive in Australia, where it threatens native rare plants and causes erosion and soil slumping around river banks. It has also become invasive in France where it has been listed as an invasive plant species of concern in

4140-667: The Scotia Sea are rocky and partly covered in ice and snow year round; despite these harsh conditions, however, the islands do support vegetation and have been described as the Scotia Sea Islands tundra ecoregion , which includes South Georgia, the volcanic South Sandwich Islands, and the South Orkneys in the Scotia Sea, as well as the remote South Shetland Islands near the Antarctic Peninsula and

4232-436: The aim of ameliorating environmental problems. A number of fast spreading plants such as kudzu have been introduced as a means of erosion control. Other species have been introduced as biological control agents to control invasive species . This involves the purposeful introduction of a natural enemy of the target species with the intention of reducing its numbers or controlling its spread. A special case of introduction

4324-674: The archipelago, including Cape Horn , are part of the South Patagonian Batholith , while the Cordillera Darwin and the area around the Beagle Channel form the principal mountain range hosting the highest mountains. The Magallanes fold and thrust belt extends north of Almirantazgo Fjord and Fagnano Lake , and north of this lies the Magallanes foreland, an old sedimentary basin that hosts hydrocarbon reserves . Orthogneiss dated at 525 million years

4416-532: The broadest and most widely used sense, an introduced species is synonymous with "non-native" and therefore applies as well to most garden and farm organisms; these adequately fit the basic definition given above. However, some sources add to that basic definition "and are now reproducing in the wild", which means that species growing in a garden, farm, or house may not meet the criteria unless they escape and persist. There are many terms associated with introduced species that represent subsets of introduced species, and

4508-539: The economy. There have been calls from scientists to consider a species "invasive" only in terms of their spread and reproduction rather than the harm they may cause. According to a practical definition, an invasive species is one that has been introduced and become a pest in its new location, spreading (invading) by natural means. The term is used to imply both a sense of urgency and actual or potential harm. For example, U.S. Executive Order 13112 (1999) defines "invasive species" as "an alien species whose introduction does or

4600-585: The ecosystems they enter into, there are still some species that have affected the ecosystem in a positive way. For example, in New Hampshire invasive plants can provide some benefits to some species. Invasive species such as autumn olive, oriental bittersweet, and honeysuckle produce fruit that is used by a handful of fruit-eating bird species. The invasive plants can also be a source of pollen and nectar for many insects, such as bees. These invasive plants were able to help their ecosystem thriving, and increase

4692-663: The finest trout fishing in the world. Sea-run brown trout often exceed 9 kg (20 lb), particularly in rivers such as the Rio Grande and the San Pablo, and in the Lago Fagnano . Waters adjacent to Tierra del Fuego are very rich in cetacean diversity. Sightings of southern right whales in Tierra del Fuego have increased in the 2000s, humpbacks , and some others such as blue whales , southern fins , southern seis , and southern minkes . Beagle Channel

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4784-473: The forefront of eliminating unwanted invasive species this would include preliminary steps; educating the public, cooperation from industries and government resources. In Great Britain , the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 prevents the introduction of any animal not naturally occurring in the wild or any of a list of both animals or plants introduced previously and proved to be invasive. By definition ,

4876-644: The growth of trees impossible. Some areas in the interior have a polar climate. Regions in the world with similar climates to southern Tierra del Fuego are: the Aleutian islands , Iceland , the Alaska Peninsula , the Faroe Islands , Macquarie Island , and the Heard and McDonald Islands . Only 30% of the islands have forests, which are classified as Magellanic subpolar . The northeastern portion of

4968-569: The heavy winds and cool summers in the Faroe Islands did not allow the growth of trees from other regions in the world. The imported trees are used ornamentally, as curtains against wind, and to fight erosion caused by storms and grazing in the Faroe Islands. Among the most notable animals in the archipelago are austral parakeets , gulls , guanacos , South American foxes , kingfishers , Andean condors , king penguins , owls , and firecrown hummingbirds . Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego

5060-656: The indigenous people had no immunity , and by mass transfer to the Salesian mission of Dawson Island. Despite the efforts of the missionaries, many natives died. Today, only a few Selk'nam remain . Some of the few remaining Yaghan have settled in Villa Ukika in Navarino Island ; others have scattered throughout Chile and Argentina. Following the signing of the Boundary Treaty of 1881 , Tierra del Fuego

5152-586: The intentionally introduced Harmonia axyridis , multicolored Asian lady beetle . However the small percentage of introduced species that become invasive can produce profound ecological changes. In North America, Harmonia axyridis has become the most abundant lady beetle and probably accounts for more observations than all the native lady beetles put together. Many non-native plants have been introduced into new territories, initially as either ornamental plants or for erosion control, stock feed, or forestry. Whether an exotic will become an invasive species

5244-849: The introduction of common starlings to North America by the American Eugene Schieffelin , a lover of the works of Shakespeare and the chairman of the American Acclimatization Society , who, it is rumoured, wanted to introduce all of the birds mentioned in Shakespeare's plays into the United States. He deliberately released eighty starlings into Central Park in New York City in 1890, and another forty in 1891. Yet another prominent example of an introduced species that became invasive

5336-489: The invasive comb jelly Mnemiopsis leidyi , the dangerous bacterium Vibrio cholerae , or the fouling zebra mussel . The Mediterranean and Black Seas, with their high volume shipping from exotic sources, are most impacted by this problem. Busy harbors are all potential hotspots as well: over 200 species have been introduced to the San Francisco Bay in this manner making it the most heavily invaded estuary in

5428-507: The islands, and these include an endemic race of the yellow-billed pintail duck ( Anas georgica ) and the endemic South Georgia pipit ( Anthus antarcticus ) . Other birds include the southern giant petrel , with sizeable colonies on Bird Island . Penguin species found here include large numbers of king penguins on South Georgia especially, as well as chinstrap penguin , macaroni penguin , gentoo penguin , Adelie penguin , and rockhopper penguin ( Eudyptes chrysocome ) . Seals include

5520-614: The king and queen and were, for a time, celebrities. They returned to Tierra del Fuego in the Beagle with FitzRoy and Charles Darwin , who made extensive notes about his visit to the islands. During the second half of the nineteenth century, Salesian Catholic missions were established in Río Grande and Dawson Island . Anglican missionaries, who had established missions on Keppel Island in 1855, established new missions in 1870 at Ushuaia . These missions continued to operate through

5612-680: The local ecosystem. Introduced species that become established and spread beyond the place of introduction are considered naturalized . The process of human-caused introduction is distinguished from biological colonization , in which species spread to new areas through "natural" (non-human) means such as storms and rafting . The Latin expression neobiota captures the characteristic that these species are new biota to their environment in terms of established biological network (e.g. food web ) relationships. Neobiota can further be divided into neozoa (also: neozoons, sing. neozoon, i.e. animals) and neophyta (plants). The impact of introduced species

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5704-483: The main island and a few small islands in the Beagle Channel belong to Argentina. They are part of the Tierra del Fuego, Antarctic Territory and South Atlantic Islands Province , whose capital is Ushuaia , the largest city of the archipelago. The other important city in the region is Río Grande on the Atlantic coast. The Cordillera Darwin in the southwestern part of the main island contains many glaciers that reach

5796-435: The main island and a few small islands in the Beagle Channel, and Chile , which controls the remaining land area. The southernmost extent of the archipelago is just north of latitude 56°S . The earliest known human settlement in Tierra del Fuego dates to approximately 8,000 BC. Europeans first explored the islands during Ferdinand Magellan 's expedition of 1520. Tierra del Fuego and similar namings stem from sightings of

5888-417: The main island between 1883 and 1909. Numerous Argentines, Chileans, and Croatians settled on the main island, leading to increased conflicts with native Selk'nam . These late nineteenth century gold rushes led to the founding of numerous small settlements by immigrants, such as the Argentine settlements of Ushuaia and Río Grande and the Chilean settlements of Porvenir and Puerto Toro . Julius Popper ,

5980-497: The many bonfires that the natives built. Settlement by those of European descent and the displacement of the native populations did not begin until the second half of the nineteenth century, at the height of the Patagonian sheep farming boom and of the local gold rush . Today, petroleum extraction dominates economic activity in the north of Tierra del Fuego, while tourism, manufacturing, and Antarctic logistics are important in

6072-547: The native animal's chances of survival. Several introduced exotic trees served as nest sites for resident waterbird species in Udaipur city, India. Perhaps the most common motivation for introducing a species into a new place is that of economic gain. Non-native species can become such a common part of an environment, culture, and even diet that little thought is given to their geographic origin. For example, soybeans , kiwi fruit , wheat , honey bees , and all livestock except

6164-459: The new environment. Adventive species are often considered synonymous with "introduced species", but this term is sometimes applied exclusively to introduced species that are not permanently established. Naturalized species are often introduced species that do not need human help to reproduce and maintain their population in an area outside their native range (no longer adventive), but that also applies to populations migrating and establishing in

6256-452: The nineteenth century. Missionary Thomas Bridges (1842–1898) learned the native language and compiled a 30,000-word Yaghan grammar and dictionary while he worked at Ushuaia. It was published in the 20th century and is considered an important ethnological work. An 1879 Chilean expedition led by Ramón Serrano Montaner reported large amounts of placer gold in the streams and river beds of Tierra del Fuego. This prompted massive immigration to

6348-517: The number of native iguanas on multiple islands. In plants, introduced species have been observed to undergo rapid evolutionary change to adapt to their new environments, with changes in plant height, size, leaf shape, dispersal ability, reproductive output, vegetative reproduction ability, level of dependence on the mycorrhizal network , and level of phenotype plasticity appearing on timescales of decades to centuries. It has been hypothesized that invasive species of microbial life could contaminate

6440-441: The ocean. While Mount Darwin had previously been thought to be the tallest mountain in the archipelago, this distinction now belongs to the unofficially named Monte Shipton at 2,580 metres (8,460 feet). The topography of Tierra del Fuego can be divided into four regions: an outer archipelago region ( Spanish : Región Archipielágica ) to the south and west, a mountainous region in the south ( Spanish : Región Cordillerana ),

6532-534: The only forests in the world to have developed in a climate with such cold summers. Tree cover extends very close to the southernmost tip of South America. Winds are so strong that trees in wind-exposed areas grow into twisted shapes, inspiring people to call them "flag-trees". Tree vegetation extends to the southern tip of the region, Isla Hornos , although the Wollaston Islands are mostly covered by subantarctic tundra except in wind sheltered areas where

6624-431: The place of introduction and cause damage to nearby species, they are called " invasive species ". The transition from introduction, to establishment and to invasion has been described in the context of plants. Introduced species are essentially "non-native" species. Invasive species are those introduced species that spread widely or quickly and cause harm, be that to the environment, human health, other valued resources, or

6716-778: The populated world. Tomatoes are native to the Andes . Squash ( pumpkins ), maize (corn), and tobacco are native to the Americas , but were introduced to the Old World . Many introduced species require continued human intervention to survive in the new environment. Others may become feral, but do not seriously compete with natives, but simply increase the biodiversity of the area. One example would be Dandelions in North America , which have become an essential source of early season nectar for both native and introduced pollinators, and do not meaningfully compete with native grasses or flowers. A very troublesome marine species in southern Europe

6808-572: The potential for being beneficial or detrimental in the long run remains unknown. The effects of introduced species on natural environments have gained much scrutiny from scientists, governments, farmers and others. The formal definition of an introduced species from the United States Environmental Protection Agency is "A species that has been intentionally or inadvertently brought into a region or area. Also called an exotic or non-native species". In

6900-436: The potential impact. Unintentional or accidental introductions are most often a byproduct of human movements and are thus unbound to human motivations. Subsequent range expansion of introduced species may or may not involve human activity. Species that humans intentionally transport to new regions can subsequently become successfully established in two ways. In the first case, organisms are purposely released for establishment in

6992-464: The purposes of sport fishing and hunting. The introduced amphibian ( Ambystoma tigrinum ) that threatens the endemic California salamander ( A. californiense ) was introduced to California as a source of bait for fishermen. Pet animals have also been frequently transported into new areas by humans, and their escapes have resulted in several introductions, such as feral cats , parrots , and pond slider . Lophura nycthemera ( silver pheasant ),

7084-669: The region is made up of steppe and cool semi-desert. Six species of tree are found in Tierra del Fuego: canelo or winter's bark ( Drimys winteri ); Maytenus magellanica ; Pilgerodendron uviferum , the southernmost conifer in the world; and three kinds of southern beech : Nothofagus antarctica ; Nothofagus pumilio ; and the evergreen Nothofagus betuloides . Several kinds of fruit grow in open spaces in these forests, such as beach strawberry ( Fragaria chiloensis var. chiloensis forma chiloensis ) and calafate ( Berberis buxifolia ), which have long been gathered by both Native Americans and residents of European descent. They are

7176-538: The region's economic output. 54°S 70°W  /  54°S 70°W  / -54; -70 Introduced species An introduced species , alien species , exotic species , adventive species , immigrant species , foreign species , non-indigenous species , or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range , but which has arrived there by human activity, directly or indirectly, and either deliberately or accidentally. Non-native species can have various effects on

7268-519: The selling of genetically modified seeds has added to the controversy surrounding introduced species. The effect of genetically modified organisms varies from organism to organism and is still being researched today, however, the rise of genetically modified organisms has added complexity to the conversations surrounding introduced species. Introductions have also been important in supporting recreation activities or otherwise increasing human enjoyment. Numerous fish and game animals have been introduced for

7360-653: The small isolated volcano called Bouvet Island . All these islands lie in the cold seas below the Antarctic Convergence . These areas support tundra vegetation consisting of mosses , lichens , and algae , while seabirds, penguins, and seals feed in the surrounding waters. Seabirds include four species of albatross: black-browed albatross ( Thalassarche melanophris ) , grey-headed albatross ( Thalassarche chrysostoma ) , light-mantled albatross ( Phoebetria palpebrata ) , and wandering albatross ( Diomedea exulans ) . Only five species of birds remain on land on

7452-534: The south. The earliest human settlement occurred approximately 8,000 BC. The Yaghan were some of the earliest known humans to settle in Tierra del Fuego. Archeological sites with characteristics of their culture have been found at locations such as Navarino Island . The name Tierra del Fuego was given by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan while sailing for the Spanish Crown in 1520; he

7544-628: The terminology associated with introduced species is now in flux for various reasons. Examples of these terms are "invasive", "acclimatized", "adventive", "naturalized", and "immigrant" species. The term "invasive" is used to describe introduced species that cause ecological, economic, or other damage to the area in which they were introduced. Acclimatized species are introduced species that have changed physically and/or behaviorally in order to adjust to their new environment. Acclimatized species are not necessarily optimally adjusted to their new environment and may just be physically/behaviorally sufficient for

7636-572: The tip of the Antarctic Peninsula and reached South Georgia Island two weeks later. It was a distance of nearly 900 miles and the sun was only sighted four times during the entire journey. In Argentina , the Scotia Sea is considered part of an area known as the Mar Argentino , and several territories claimed but not occupied by Argentina, such as South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, lie within this region. The islands bordering

7728-449: The trees can survive. Forests from Tierra del Fuego have expanded beyond local importance. These forests have been a source of trees that have been transplanted abroad in places with similar climate, but which originally were devoid of trees, such as the Faroe Islands and nearby archipelagos. Most species were gathered from the coldest places in Tierra del Fuego, mainly sites with tundra borders. This effort resulted in positive changes, as

7820-619: The wild. Among the popular exotic pets that have become alien or invasive species are parrots, frogs, terrapins, and iguanas. Some species, such as the Western honey bee , brown rat , house sparrow , ring-necked pheasant , and European starling , have been introduced very widely. In addition there are some agricultural and pet species that frequently become feral ; these include rabbits , dogs , ducks , snakes , goats , fish , pigs , and cats . Many water fleas such as Daphnia , Bosmina and Bythotrephes have introduced around

7912-423: The wild. It is sometimes difficult to predict whether a species will become established upon release, and if not initially successful, humans have made repeated introductions to improve the probability that the species will survive and eventually reproduce in the wild. In these cases, it is clear that the introduction is directly facilitated by human desires. In the second case, species intentionally transported into

8004-427: The world as hitchhikers on ships, and arachnids such as scorpions and exotic spiders are sometimes transported to areas far beyond their native range by riding in shipments of tropical fruit. This was seen during the introduction of Steatoda nobilis (Noble false widow) worldwide through banana shipments. Further there are numerous examples of marine organisms being transported in ballast water , among them

8096-431: The world, causing dramatic changes in native freshwater ecosystems. When a new species is introduced, the species could potentially breed with members of native species, producing hybrids. The effect of the creating of hybrids can range from having little effect, a negative effect, to having devastating effects on native species. Potential negative effects include hybrids that are less fit for their environment resulting in

8188-603: The world. There is also the accidental release of the Africanized honey bees (AHB), known colloquially as "killer bees") or Africanized bee to Brazil in 1957 and the Asian carp to the United States. The insect commonly known as the brown marmorated stink bug ( Halyomorpha halys ) was introduced accidentally in Pennsylvania. Another form of unintentional introductions is when an intentionally introduced plant carries

8280-508: Was divided between Argentina and Chile; previously, it had been claimed in its entirety by both countries. In 1945, a division of Chilean CORFO (Spanish acronym for Production Development Corporation), engaged in oil exploration , discovered oil in northern Tierra del Fuego. Extraction began in 1949 and, in 1950, the Chile state-owned ENAP (National Petroleum Company) . Until 1960, most oil extracted in Chile came from Tierra del Fuego. During

8372-534: Was first introduced to the United States as a potential food source. The apple snail was released in Southeast Asia with the intent that it be used as a protein source, and subsequently to places like Hawaii to establish a food industry. In Alaska, foxes were introduced to many islands to create new populations for the fur trade. About twenty species of African and European dung beetles have established themselves in Australia after deliberate introduction by

8464-495: Was the first European to visit these lands. He believed he was seeing the many fires ( fuego in Spanish) of the indigenous inhabitants, which were visible from the sea, and that the "Indians" were waiting in the forests to ambush his armada . In 1525, Francisco de Hoces was the first to speculate that Tierra del Fuego was one or more islands rather than part of what was then called Terra Australis . Francis Drake in 1578 and

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