Exotic Species: Definition, Function, & Examples

  • Post last modified:September 29, 2021
  • Reading time:3 mins read

Table of Contents

Exotic Species Definition

Exotic species can be plants or animals, which are non-native and from a different habitat, they are placed into another different one. Exotic species are also known as alien species. They might to a different place intentionally or unintentionally.

Exotic species can have an impact on the ecosystem, where it can be advantageous to the ecosystem or result in a negative effect. However, at times the impact might be very minute, resulting in no effect on the environment.

Exotic Species vs Invasive Species

Invasive species are also non-native species, which has a negative impact on the ecosystem. Thus, it is a variant of exotic species but is harmful and competitive as it has destroyed the native species and outcrossed them. Thus, acting as a pest to a new area.

For instance, the introduction of an animal which has killed all the other organism and further it has disrupted another set of species as its number was increasing quickly.

Exotic species are those which can survive, without any help and are quite adaptive, as they with time evolve themselves as they could be intentionally or unintentionally be placed into a different environment.

Exotic Species Examples

The removal of a species from a particular environment and adding to another place is done by humans, however at times it could be unintentionally as well. A reason behind doing this could be to that the non-native species will act as a biological control and control those which are harmful.

This intentionally addition of a species might also be of economical importance. For example, growing a plant which is not found there so that its easily available. Unintentionally species could be translocated when moving from one place to the other.

For example, through ships or other modes of transport, rat species could move from one place to the other, which occurs during trips. An example is a native species Rattus rattus, has spread throughout the globe in such a manner.

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