A Different Way To Protect The Ghost Orchid

[calvin_orchidL]

Yes, I apologize for misusing that scenario. I don't know anything about coyotes, mountain lions and wolves!

To clarify, I used Orchidsarefun's example for convenience to illustrate that the opposition seems to recognize the unknown consequences and potential negative impact of alien species in general, yet somehow there's a failure to appreciate the parallels with the proposal at hand.

Or rather, there is some understanding of this concept, but the defence argues zealously that somehow epiphytes/orchids/the ghost orchid are exceptions or perhaps immune to these unknowns/potential negatives. This argument is unfortunately based upon non-scientific 'epiphyte maths', general thoughts about how "orchids grow slowly and don't reproduce easily in nature" (FYI, there are invasive orchids), and an opinion by Benzig.

Since you asked so nicely, here are some specific examples references species spanning various genera:

The establishment of a hybrid zone between red and sika deer - "The genetic integrity of the Scottish mainland red deer is shown to be at risk from the invasion of sika."

Greater male fitness of a rare invader (Spartina alterniflora, Poaceae) threatens a common native (Spartina foliosa) with hybridization"

Extinction by hybridization and introgression in anatine ducks - a review that references field studies.

Translocation Causes Extinction of a Local Population of the Freshwater Shrimp Paratya australiensis