Many researches Essay

Many researches have been conducted with regards to the effect of a particular plant or animal in the environment. These organisms are also called invasive species and are considered as one major factor of ecological imbalance and the increased deterioration of the balance in natural resources. This variety of animals poses harm on other species which can lead to a gradual decrease in population and even extinction if the problem will not be addressed properly. As a response by scientists specializing in the field of biology and ecosystem, they have made in-depth studies to be able to come up with the possible solution for the problem. One clear example of this situation is the effect of a particular freshwater fish known as the black bullhead and its adverse effect in the biodiversity and ecological harmony in European freshwaters. Having a scientific name Ameiurus melas, this fish was not native in Europe but from North America. Previous studies were conducted and claimed considered the increase in population of this fish specie as an imminent threat against the local fish species in the said region. Moreover, further proliferation of this non-local fish can lead to imbalance in the ecological harmony among preys and local predators that can be found in European waters. The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of black bullhead to the predatory performance of the local predator pike with a scientific name Esox Lucius L. The study was made in the year 2006 where the researchers set up individual containers with different experimental treatments. The study was made during the autumn season where the researchers chose equal weights and sizes of black bullheads and pikes. They prepared containers containing equal amounts of water and other parameters needed in setting up an artificial ecosystem. The researchers then acquired enough amounts of roach for each basin which is the prey of both the black bullhead and the pike and systematically treated each container. One container was placed with roach but no predators while another container was filled with the roach and black bullhead only. Another container was filled with roach and pike only and another basin was filled with the prey and both predators. Turbidity was also varied in each container, one with low and another basin with high turbidity. Afterwards, careful and thorough observations were made concerning the entire experimental set up. With the use of statistical and mathematical tools in analyzing the results of the experiments, the researchers prepared and came up with the result of the study. One of the results of the study is that the prey consumption on the containers with pike alone and both bullhead and pike has little discrepancies. This result suggests that pike’s consumption was less when mixed with bullhead compared when there is only pike in the area. Many factors were accounted with regards to the research output like the direct struggle between the two distinct predators and even behavioral intrusions of the bullhead on the pike predator. Another research finding is that turbidity has no significant effect on the efficiency of the pike, disproving the claims that water transparency has a major effect on the performance of the local predators. The study was conducted with finesse and used appropriate mathematical tools in interpreting data. However, more researches should still follow in a large-scale setting and in a natural habitat location to be able to come up with a more reliable research output. Though the research presented good and unbiased results, further study should pursue in the same objective to be able to support the claims of the study made with more research parameters to consider. References Kreutzenberger, K. , Leprieur, F. & Brosse, S. †The Influence of the invasive black bullhead Ameiurus melas on the predatory efficiency of pike Esox Lucius L. † Journal of Fish Biology (2008) 73, 196–205. Retrieved on April 22, 2009. Retrieved from http://fabienlep. free. fr/leprieur/Leprieur_JFishBiol_2008. pdf