<<I'd be interested to know if people believe a body of water like the Potomac
is enhanced or 'bettered' by the introduction of species that are not native
to it. >>
I think it would depend on ones perspective. If you were just interested in
bass fishing then the "new" Potomac is an obvious improvement. My thought
was that we don't even really know what was lost. There are many old Indian
fish traps in the river so one would suspect that the original fish
population was substantial.
<<If the density and/or diversity is increased with more 'desirable'
species should this be noted as an improvement?>>
Who decides which species are more desirable?
<<Or, would all changes from
original compositions be negative due to human 'interference' in a natural
habitat?>>
I would say yes.
<<I think most list members would agree that the introduction of a
non-native species would not constitute an improvement, but how about a NANF
being introduced to a new environment within North America?>>
I do not believe that it make any difference whether the species is from a
different continent or simply from a river system over the next ridge. If it
is not native it represents a possible threat to the native inhabitants. I
seems to me that some the worst introduced species are NANF(green sunfish,
channel cats, flathead cats, largemouth bass etc..... ..)
I often spend at least 2 evenings a week chasing smallmouth in the Potomac
with a fly rod and love it, but I wonder what it would have been like before.
DAVE HOUGH
Point of Rocks, MD
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