Editing Biscayne National Park (section)

===Exotic species===
[[File:Biscayne Bay Safety Valve.png|thumb|alt=Aerial view of the Safety Valve shoals|Biscayne Bay's "Safety Valve" is a natural outlet for storm surges.]]
More than 50 species of exotic plant have been documented in the park, with almost 20 of those considered to be pest species which may displace native plants and possibly alter the ecological balance.<ref name=explants>{{cite web|title=Exotic Plants in Biscayne National Park|url=http://www.nps.gov/bisc/naturescience/exotic-plants-in-biscayne-national-park.htm|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=8 December 2012}}</ref> [[Green iguana]]s, [[cane toad]]s, [[black rat]]s, [[lionfish]], [[fire ant]]s, [[Oscar (fish)|oscars]] and [[brown basilisk]] lizards are common in the park.<ref name=npsbisc12>{{cite web|title=Exotic Animals in Biscayne National Park|url=http://www.nps.gov/bisc/naturescience/exotic-animals.htm|work=Biscayne National Park|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=21 November 2012}}</ref> The lionfish (''Pterois volitans'' and ''Pterois miles'') is a tropical fish from the Indian-Pacific Ocean area.<ref>{{cite web|title=Invasive lionfish threaten native fish and the environment in U.S. Atlantic coastal waters|url=http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/lionfish.html|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)|access-date=8 December 2012|date=17 November 2011}}</ref> It is known for its voracious appetite and its ability to establish itself in new waters, rapidly replacing other species. Researchers theorized the introduction of this species in the park occurred during Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Sightings in Biscayne Bay at that time were believed to have been from home aquariums destroyed during the hurricane,<ref name=npsbisc13>{{cite web|title=About the Exotic Indo-Pacific Lionfish|url=http://www.nps.gov/bisc/naturescience/exotic-lionfish.htm|work=Biscayne National Park|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=21 November 2012}}</ref> though the researcher who first proposed the theory has since retracted the assertion.<ref name=morell1>{{cite news|last=Morell|first=Virginia|title=Mystery of the Lionfish: Don't Blame Hurricane Andrew|url=https://www.science.org/content/article/mystery-lionfish-dont-blame-hurricane-andrew|access-date=27 July 2013|newspaper=Science|date=April 29, 2010}}</ref>  More recent lionfish sightings are probably from more established populations in the Florida Keys to the south of the park.<ref name=mcdonough1>{{cite news|last=McDonough|first=Vanessa|title=New Wave of Exotic Lionfish Invades Biscayne National Park|newspaper=Federal News Service|date=June 25, 2010}}</ref> Also likely originating from human captivity, [[Burmese python]]s have been observed near the park's boundary along the mainland.<ref name=npsbisc12/> Exotic plant species which pose the highest risk to native plant communities include [[Schinus terebinthifolius|Brazilian-pepper]], [[Panicum repens|torpedo grass]], [[Nephrolepis cordifolia|tuberous sword fern]], [[Psidium guajava|guava]] and [[Thespesia populnea|portiatree]].<ref name=explants/>