After landscape fragmentation, invasive species are the biggest threat to the integrity of a regions biodiversity. These cards will appeal to the environmentalist on your Christmas list. Perhaps the most provocative card in the 52 most dangerous invasive species is the ace of spades: Homo sapiens. Each card has a detailed line drawing of the alien species and a short factoid about where and how it threatens native flora and/or fauna. The Ace of spades will have an image of C. Columbus, a businessman or a gardener, I’ve yet to decide which one.-- jackottabox, Dec 08 2003 He's Dead. Jim! http://www.deadoral...ett+James+UnderwoodProof of how dangerous gardening is. [Amos Kito, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 06 2004] (?) 100 most dangerous invasive species http://www.iucn.org...yday/100booklet.pdf [jackottabox, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 06 2004] (?) Dogs playing cards http://www.drunkandretired.com/dogs/ [sartep, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 06 2004] (?) when plants attack http://www.nashvilledepot.com/Kudzu.htmscroll down to cartoon [jackottabox, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 06 2004] Rather than just playing-cards, this should be a 52-player battle game, in which cane toads, house sparrows, cockroaches, humans, and 48 other master species struggle to achieve world domination.-- phundug, Dec 08 2003 How does it go? Maybe 1) Humans 2) Dogs 3) Catss 4) Garden lawns...?-- DrCurry, Dec 08 2003 /The Ace of spades will have an image of C. Columbus, a businessman or a gardener/
Neil Armstrong?-- egbert, Dec 08 2003 This is so bakeable. Heat up your oven, Jack!-- bungston, Dec 08 2003 The insects would win. +-- sartep, Dec 08 2003 [DrCurry] I'm waiting for some expert advice about danger level. There is a list of 100 put out by a group in New Zealand but it's not in any kind of order. I'll see if they can give me a rough order of, at the very least, the 16 most dangerous. BTW, your list is good.-- jackottabox, Dec 08 2003 There should be regional variations. For example, the southeastern US could have kudzuu vine as the second most dangerous species. The northeast would have the gypsy moth.-- GenYus, Dec 08 2003 Japanese beetles Caulerpa taxifolia Zebra mussels British Beatles?-- RayfordSteele, Dec 08 2003 Is there a game to go with this? Like with magic cards? (man I havn't played magic cards for years and this idea is giving me the itch!)-- futurebird, Dec 08 2003 Don't forget the KUDSU!-- futurebird, Dec 08 2003 I have trouble with the concept of invasive species. If plant A can move in and thrive, and grow so successfully that weak plant B fizzles out and dies, isn't that how it should be? I guess I don't see how an organism being successful and thriving is a danger.
I know the stories about rabbits in Australia and zebra mussels, etc. Y'all can spare me those. I still think things work out the way they should.-- waugsqueke, Dec 08 2003 waugs has the right idea here. Am I suppose to feel guilty because the spotted owls can't get their act together long enough to organize an army, or get their scientists to stop "who"ing each other long enough to come up with some kind of venom delivery system? If the creatures of the world have got a problem with us big-braners, let 'em do something about it! Otherwise, they should just hop in the fryer.-- hoopdy, Dec 08 2003 Nope, that's not quite what I said. But thank you for your input.-- waugsqueke, Dec 08 2003 futurebird, I'm not so sure many of these aren't already magic cards. Yes, quite a fun game.-- sartep, Dec 08 2003 I'm not in favor of mass extinction as a result of human actions. I'd rather not live on a planet of weeds. I'll give some consideration to my children's children.-- jackoutofthebox, Dec 08 2003 I think deer, squirrels, and the Baldwins should be added to the list.-- Space-Pope, Dec 08 2003 Gotta break with ya on this one, waugs. Take caulerpa taxifolia for instance. Almost nothing eats it, and it grows like wildfire. It could screw up the whole Med ecosystem in a flash, by smothering otherwise fertile area. Will something evolve to eat it? Perhaps. But I thought evolution took more time than our artificial manipulations have allowed.-- RayfordSteele, Dec 08 2003 [waugs] maybe you should go have a look what Australian melaleucas are doing to the Everglades....-- BunsenHoneydew, Dec 09 2003 Maybe the joker cards could be customized for specific regions. Here are the top 12 listed by the Invasive Species Specialist Group: Crazy Ant, Brown Tree Snake, Caulerpa Seaweed, Avian Malaria, Feral Pig, Strawberry Guava, Miconia, Western Mosquitofish, Small Indian Mongoose, Rosy Wolfsnail, Water Hyacinth, and Nile Perch. Selection criteria was based on impact and ability to illustrate the problems associated with invasive species.-- jackottabox, Dec 09 2003 //Don't forget the KUDSU!//
Didn't forget it. Just couldn't spell it. :)-- GenYus, Dec 09 2003 Y'know at first I pictured this like the pictures people have of dogs playing poker.-- sartep, Dec 09 2003 random, halfbakery