[-empyre-] invasive species

[John Jordan]

we must never forget that the first use of the concept of arian purity by the german national socialists (NAZI”S) was in an essay by an ecologist which used  invasive species as a metaphor… !!

Its a dangerous and meaningless term…and we need to situate it as we must everything

i live with chestnut trees, who ‘invaded these lands with the romans 2000 years ago’ but see totally local now… 

BUT spreading spores without knowledge of particular effects of particular species on situated eco systems is of course careless … 

JJ


> On 12 Jun 2018, at 17:55, margaretha haughwout <margaretha.anne.haughwout at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> ----------empyre- soft-skinned space----------------------
> Yes, thank you Alan for this question. It does require and prolonged attention to observe how species interact, and under what contexts our companions are thriving. 
> 
> I agree strongly with FRAUD. The category "invasive" operates far too broadly imho, rendering it not very useful and deeply problematic politically in terms of the ways it reinforces a nationalistic world view and refers to colonial documentation as the authority on what is native and what isn't. It also contributes to a kind of nostalgia that is perhaps not that useful when it comes to observing and interacting with the here and now. 
> 
> I wonder if we can collaborate on a series of terms that recognize the range of ways "introduced," or newer species work. Because many species categorized as invasives (many in the pea family for example, or mallow on the California coast) operate like a scab on already human disturbed areas, fixing nitrogen, adding biomass, or breaking up hard soil for example. Over time, after this initial wave, the species in the area diversify. At other times species are way more aggressive, such as the ones Alan describes, and it does seem hard to see how they are contributing to diverse ecologies that are ultimately friendly to humans.
> 
> 
> --
> beforebefore.net <http://beforebefore.net/>
> guerrillagrafters.org <http://guerrillagrafters.org/>
> coastalreadinggroup.com <http://coastalreadinggroup.com/>
> --
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, Jun 12, 2018 at 9:18 AM, Shu Lea Cheang <shulea at earthlink.net <mailto:shulea at earthlink.net>> wrote:
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> Dear Alan
> 
> Surely your post has kept me and all artists working in the field thinking... i organize these thread under your subject invasive species...and do hope we 
> all come back to this thread..meanwhile, i try to get week2 topics started... thanks to FRUAD and John's posting.
> 
> very soon
> 
> sl
> >>>from Alan Sondheim
> I have a question re: the release of spores from weather balloons and other means of distribution. Are you concerned about the issue of invasive species? We're fascinated by mycological environments, and at least in some areas, this seems to be an issue. Mycelium spread of their own accord; there's competition among species. At the moment, with some more visible forms of life such as phragmites (which can also be considered networked), there are serious issues of native or local species going extinct. Do you worry that articial spore releases can contribute to this? Is this addressed?
> 
> >>>>from Anna Scime
> Alan raises an interesting question here (thank you Alan!)… there are innumerable species of animals, plants, fungi, etc that are introduced to new habitats through human intervention (intentional and otherwise).  Here in the Eastern Great Lakes and throughout NYS plants like Phragmites and Japanese Knotweed are a major problem.  They grow like wildfire in monocultures that choke out native plant species that would otherwise provide habitat, food and shelter to the other native species (pollinators and other birds, mammals, insects...)  that live here.  When they become problematically prolific and threaten existing ecosystems, keystone species, humans and/or human economies, they are labeled as invasive species and government agencies, ecological organizations and the industries whose operations they interfere with spend A LOT of money every year in an attempt to remove them from the ecosystems that they have colonized and to restore native species.  I work with aquatic species as well, and zebra and quagga mussels, brown gobies, alewife etc are also subject to similar management programs, though it seems that the most effective/least Sisyphean efforts (though this is difficult to measure and I think control efforts are still necessary in many cases) may come via adaptation of native species to consume and regulate these invasive species… 
> 
> 
> Additionally, I think that there are always possible risks and rewards when we work with living materials and ecosystems… the devil is in the details, and much research is required prior to engaging with these beings (or their parts) through our art practices and/or by introducing them to seemingly new environments.  Research in controlled environments and fieldwork can only tell us so much, there is of course always chance...
> 
> The only mushroom species that I am aware of being labeled as an invasive species is the Death Cap (Amanita phalloides - does anyone know of any others?).  Unlike many other invasives they are not a hyper-prolific species that chokes out native species or causes great expense to governments or industries, but they are a problem for amateur mycologists foraging for mushrooms who may misidentify them as edible puffballs when they are young, or as other edible Amanita, Russulas, meadow mushrooms or paddy straw mushrooms when they are mature and consume them (they are colloquially referred to as Death Caps because if you eat them, they can kill you – many who survive poisoning require a liver transplant to do so). It is believed that they have been introduced to new habitats through the cultivation of non-native species of oak, chestnut, and pine.  Which begs the question, when we are curating our gardens, making bioart or engaging in ecological studies, remediation and/or restoration work, are we actually doing more harm than good? (I think all responsible practicioners here try to way all known options before proceeding, though mistakes are made and nature does 'find a way') And with global travel in its myriad forms, is it even possible to prevent the spread of spores, seeds, organisms….or are adaptations that accommodate colonization of new lands and waters through hitchhiking on larger animals like us (and/or our transportation toys) unavoidable?
> from FRAUD 
> 
> A footnote on invasive / native (mentioned last week):
> Those definitions in themselves are quite problematic. Usually there is a point in time after which a species' arrival is determined to be invasive. That point is heavily imbued in politics of immigration, colonialism and other ways of viewing the world that have little to do with the plant or animal's 'threat'. Without expanding further here, we did a project exploring this some time ago, Dreaming in tongues/舌頭/langues/ بألسنة/tunger, and Cooking Sections do great work on this subject.
> 
> 
> 
> from Alan Sondheim
> 
> I'm well aware of the arguments re: political etc. around invasive species. But I think this ignores numerous cases where the results have been devastating (for example the Everglades, where I've done a lot of research and work); I simply don't trust the release of spores byballoons, particularly when I've seen the results on the ground; the political issues are bad enough, but say, the presence of tilapia or pythons in the Everglades are killing and impoverishing a system alreadyunder attack from farming runoff up north. In RI, phragmites have made a mess of numerous coastal sites, etc. I think the issue of invasive species is complex, needs to be considered by artists in conjunction with ecologists, etc.; it's not a matter for a brief reply, I think.
> 
> Best, Alan
> _________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 11/06/18 16:16, Alan Sondheim wrote:
>> ----------empyre- soft-skinned space---------------------- 
>> 
>> 
>> I'm well aware of the arguments re: political etc. around invasive species. But I think this ignores numerous cases where the results have been devastating (for example the Everglades, where I've done a lot of research and work); I simply don't trust the release of spores by balloons, particularly when I've seen the results on the ground; the political issues are bad enough, but say, the presence of tilapia or pythons in the Everglades are killing and impoverishing a system already under attack from farming runoff up north. In RI, phragmites have made a mess of numerous coastal sites, etc. I think the issue of invasive species is complex, needs to be considered by artists in conjunction with ecologists, etc.; it's not a matter for a brief reply, I think. 
>> 
>> Best, Alan 
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