TPO73

The reading passage introduces three strategies being considered to stop the ant from spreading further and damaging the unique ecosystem of the palm forest. however, the lecturer thinks all three strategies are unlikely to work.

First and foremost, the reading article claims that one of the strategies proposed to stop the ants is to use traps containing a low concentration of chemicals that are toxic to the ants since these traps have been successfully used in other locations, such as an island near Australia, where up to 99 percent of the invasive ant population has been killed by traps. However, the professor argues that it will cause unintended harm to some species of ants since toxic chemicals do not differentiate yellow crazy ants and native ants. so native ants are likely to be harmed by chemicals. As a result, even if people want to protect some native ants, those ants people want to protect will be likely killed.

Second, the reading points out that another strategy would be cutting down broad-leaved trees, the ant's favorite habitat. Broad-leaved trees host a type of insect that provides a sugary substance for the yellow crazy ants and they were introduced there recently. so removing the trees would not damage the palm forest ecosystem, but it would reduce the extent of the habitat preferred by the invasive ants, which might reduce their population. In contrast, the professor disagrees by stating that ants thrive in several kinds of habitats and some of the invasive ants dwell in open areas in palm forests with increased sunlight. so cutting down broad-leaved trees would create sunlight in the palm forests, thus creating another habitat that is friendly to invasive ants while destroying one habitat that invasive ants are unlike.

Third, the author suggests that limiting human activity near the palm forest could help reduce ant populations because a sharp increase in yellow crazy ants has been observed at one edge of the palm forest where a new visitor center was built, which suggests that more ants were transported to the area with construction material used for the center and that the ants have been eating food left behind by visitors there. On2 the opposite side, the professor asserts that limiting human activity would lead to economic decline. because palm forest is the main attraction that attracts tourists, it attract tourists and scientists who do study and research in palm forest. so palm forest is a source of local peoples' income. so limiting human activity will definitely lead to a negative impact on whole region's economy.