CWE Showcase Event Friday April 19th, 5:00-7:30 p.m. Showcase
for faculty research and networking with collaborators. The
Paradox of Invasive Endangered Species Conservation By Dr. Tag
Engstrom Invasive species are a major threat to natural
ecosystems. Conservation strategies for invasive species usually
involve elimination of the invasive. But, what if the introduced
species wreaking havoc on a natural ecosystem is also endangered
in its native habitat and this introduced population may
represent the last of its kind anywhere else on the planet?
Center for Ecosystem Research (CER) biologists Dr. Tag Engstrom
and Dr. Michael Marchetti have been chipping away at this
interesting conservation conundrum through their research on the
Chinese Wattle-necked Softshell Turtles introduced to Hawaii.
The Chinese Wattle-necked Softshell Turtle, Palea steindachneri,
is a large, secretive-turtle that is native to China and to Viet
Nam. Most of the turtles native to China and Viet Nam are now
listed on the IUCN Redlist for