Ecologist+Questions+for+this+week

__Banana Infestation on The Island __ One bunch of bananas weigh's 40kg, and 25x40 bunches make up of a tonne of bananas are valued at $994.00. The Port's 25 hectatre banana plantation of 55,935 plants producing 2,237 tonnes of banana's comes to the value of $2,223,578 per year. According to these figures the islands $2,326,104 banana plants producing 93,044 tonnes of banana's per year will provide the island with a $92,485,736 of profits per year. If this virus was to continue to spread it would effect the economy greatly.
 * __How many days will it take for the "Banana Bunchy Top Virus to spread to all plantations and wipe out our banana industry?__**
 * __How much will this cost the ecomony?__**

As the aphids were transported to the island through a hemp plan it is best to advise the company who we purchased the hemp from to inform them of the possiblitiy of an aphid infestation in their crops. We also need to inform the countries which we recently sold our bananas to as their crops could contain the banana bunchy top virus.
 * __Who needs to be told about this threat?__**

We would need to inform them that we have found aphids on our crops and that we have identified that is is the Banana Bunchy Top Virus. We would also outline some of the characteristics of this virus:
 * __What will you need to tell them?__**
 * An initial sign that the banana bunchy top virus is existing in crops is that severely infected banana plants usually will not fruit, but if fruit is produced, the banana hands and fingers are likely to be distorted in shape
 * Dark green streaks in the veins of lower portions of the leaf stem
 * It is very difficult for the plant to grow new leaves. If these new leaves are developed they look very different to what is normally expected. These new leaves are narrow, have a wavy surface and its leaves are of a yellow colour.
 * There is a newly developed light green zone between the midrib and the lamina.

We would communicate our warnings through to the surrounding settlements by making sure that there is a sign posted on the port not to recieve any shipments of hemp or bananas. We would also make sure that the sign outlines the characteristics of the virus and what it looks like.
 * __How will youc communicate your warnings to them?__**


 * __What measures need to be taken to minimise the threat- ie. How can we contain this outbreak?__**