When discussing the destructive power of invasive species, we often focus on their direct impact, like the plants or smaller animals that an invasive predator eats, or the native plants crowded out by larger, invasive cousins. 

But ecosystems are interconnected webs of species, and the true harm is not just the immediate damage to one section of the web, but the way that any change eventually ripples out across the rest of the system. 

Suffolk County, NY, is facing this problem when it comes to its battle with the southern pine beetle, the Shelter Island Reporter revealed.

What's happening?

The southern pine beetle is a tiny insect that lives its life burrowing into the bark of pine trees. Just one beetle causes a minuscule amount of damage, but their quick reproduction and their use of pheromones to summon swarms of other beetles means that trees have to deal with thousands at once and die quickly under the onslaught.

It's a common enough story when a new species is introduced to an area, but that's just it: The southern pine beetle isn't new. It's native to the U.S., although its range is expanding. So why is it suddenly devastating pine barrens that have stood for hundreds of years?

Unfortunately, this bug has suffered a population explosion. Earth's rising temperature is one factor, as milder winters fail to kill off as many beetles, but the real issue is that their natural predators have gone missing.

One of the major players keeping the southern pine beetle population down in the past was the northern long-eared bat. But in the last two decades, the bats have all but vanished — 98% of their population wiped out.

Here, at last, is where the invasive species comes in. In 2006, researchers discovered that the area's bats had been plagued with a fungal infection called white-nose disease. Thought to be brought to the Americas by cavers from Europe who failed to disinfect their equipment, it has wiped out huge swathes of America's bat populations.

The Shelter Island Reporter quoted the New York Times comment from DeeAnn Reeder, a disease ecologist at Bucknell University, saying: "This is the most dramatic wildlife mortality that's ever been documented from a pathogen. Millions and millions and millions of animals have died."

Invasive fungus, no bats; no bats, too many beetles; and too many beetles, dead trees.

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Why is this connection important?

The loss of pine forests in New York is a devastating blow to the area's heritage, to the residents' opportunities to relax and enjoy nature, and to the livelihoods of those who work in the woods. It also represents the destruction of a valuable resource, as healthy trees help filter air and cool the planet, and when cut down, can be used as lumber.

This is also a clear demonstration of the way that any change in the balance of the ecosystem will eventually circle back around and affect humanity.

What's being done about the southern pine beetle?

While action has not yet been taken, experts are recommending controlled burns to stop the beetles from spreading. The beetles are drawn to densely packed pine trees, so thinning them out makes them less attractive targets, and leaving space between them for a breeze to blow through helps disperse the beetles' pheromones so they won't gather and overwhelm a single tree.

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