Species Rafting

Tucker Nelon

MSCL 111 lab

Mandy Stoughton

April 9, 2013

Species Rafting

Throughout the world there are various species that inhabit it. Each of them is unique to their environment. However, some of these species weren't always flourishing in the habitats that they are found in today. In fact, a good percentage of these animals are not native, but alien invasive species that have colonized in a new area. Many of these organisms successfully immigrate to foreign lands through a process called rafting dispersal. The issue of this astounding feat is that a pattern of rafting is happening closer and closer together. Scientist have made the hypothesis that there may have been a barrier, of some sort, restraining the constant penetration of our shores, the important question here is, is that barrier still intact? At this rate it will eventually cause uproar of invasive species taking over the shores of America.

Species rafting is a form of dispersal in which a single species or multiple species take refuge on a floating object capable of sustaining them until the reach of a new destination. Once there the foreign inhabitants colonize the new land. As strange as it may sound to an average person, hearing it for the first time, scientists have already concluded that it not only is currently happening today but also has happen in the past and is expected to happen in the future.

A more recent example of species rafting dispersal was on June 5, 2012, when an enormous Japanese dock washed up on the shore of Oregon's Agate Beach. The origin of this vessel was found when Japanese writing was found on the side of it. Apparently, it had come from the coastal Japanese city Misawa during the March 11, 2012 tsunami. Over several thousand organism varying from species such as mollusk, anemones, sponges, oysters, crabs, barnacles, worms, sea stars, mussels, and sea urchins. At first scientist, were astonish that the feat of traveling 8,000 kilometers was done with having so many survivors upon the completion of this massive journey. But, when Oregon state University marine biologist approached the dock and began counting and identifying the species that it contained on it, the feeling of concern arose bearing the mark of a potential problem. After a closer look at the dock, it was found that not only did the original species survive the long journey, but they also managed to form a sustainable community. Prior to June 5, 2012, the thought of something such as this would be viewed as impossibility. However, a journey like this isn't so unbelievable that it could possibly happen again, for over the course