Hi Ann!

My students have learned how scientists sometimes by accident, introduce foreign invaders to an ecosystem. In the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, grasshoppers were accidently introduced to one of the islands by hitchhiking on scientists and their gear. Ants arrived the same way, other critters too. So have any critters been introduced to Antarctica, accidently, by scientists? What procedures do scientists take to avoid the spread of invasive species? Stay nice and warm and keep up the great journal articles! warmly, Maggie

Ann Linsley

Dear Maggie and her students, 
Since dogs are no longer allowed in Antarctica as per the Antarctic Treaty there really isnt anything non-native that can survive here through the winter.  In addition, transport into New Zealand is pretty restrictive.  They require shoes to be cleaned with no dirt on them.  The winter is really the solution to protecting the environment though.
 
cheers,
 
Ann Linsley