Non-Native Invasive Plants

With the environment, as one of the most commonly discussed topics today, invasive species are often included in these discussions. However, many seem to participate in these conversations with limited background on the topic. It seems that non-native species are unfairly given the title of ‘invasive’ for a variety of reasons which I plan to explore. As a starting point, it is important to understand the various titles that are allocated to non-native species that have been introduced into a new ecosystem. Under the umbrella of non-native species, there are multiple classifications given to wildlife found in a region different from where the species originates. The broadest of these classifications is non-native or exotic. Non-native is very much a cut and dried description; the species is found in an area that it is not native to. Beyond non-native is established exotic. A species can be distinguished as established exotic if it is first considered a non-native species, then can establish a breeding population. In short, this means that the species must not only be new to an environment, but can then survive and succeed as a species in that environment. Last, there is invasive. To be considered an invasive species, the species must fit three criteria: one, the species is not native to the environment it is found in. Two, the species has been able to reproduce and has created a viable breeding population in the new environment. And finally, the species has begun to cause

Another invasive species are the Nutria. The Nutria comes from South America. It is not exactly clear

Invasive species come in many forms; they can be plants, animals, insects, fish, fungus, organisms, and bacteria. Invasive plants are those which cause environmental, economic and human harm and originate from another area or region. They are a complex and difficult problem to tackle. There are more than 4,000 plants species found in Florida, of those 1300 or more are non-native or invasive. Many invasive species are taking over Florida’s waterways disrupting their natural ecosystem by outgrowing and replacing Florida’s native plants. Relieving the damage they cause is not easy, but scientists and members of the communities being affected are finding that it is achievable, as long as everyone works as a team to address the issue.

Issue: The environmental issue that I have chosen is the impact that invasive species have on the environment. The impact that invasive species have on the environment is vast, yet little is done about it. This issue is extremely important and will impact the world for generations to come. In this paper, I hope to learn about the effect they have on environment and what we can do about it.

There were four main invasive plants Himalayan Blackberry, Morning Glory, Reed Canary grass, and English Ivy. Carolyn then started to tell us the difference in the shapes

How White-tailed Deer Effect Native and Invasive Plant Species Populations in the Eastern United States.

When someone introduces an non-native species into a new environment, it could harm its surroundings. Also known as an invasive species. The definition of an invasive species is “1) are not native to, yet can spread into, wildland ecosystems, and that

Invasive species are plants or animals that spread to a non-native ecosystem and cause harm to that area. Common characteristics of invasive species include their ability to permit a variety of conditions, produce lots of seeds or eggs, separate easily, has long growing period or quick reproduction time, and their new environment has comparable conditions to the original habitat. Invasive species most often have negative impacts when they are transported to another environment. A recent study done by the Center for Aquatic Conservation describes the effect some invasive species have. In various states of the U.S, it has been found that invasive species are costing more than “$200 million a year in losses to commercial

There are currently 6,500+ invasive species that have been found on park lands, 70 percent of those invasive species that were documented are plants (“Invasive Species…..What are they and why are they a problem?” 1). Something that is even more worrying is that five percent of park lands are dominated by said invasive plant species (“Invasive Species…..What are they and why are they a problem?” 1). Approximately ten percent, or 650 species, have been found in marine parks (“Invasive Species…..What are they and why are they a problem?” 1). Other than the national parks, what else is being damaged by invasive

Before the crisis of invasive species destroying the environment, it was normal for people to dump invasive species into lakes, streams, and rivers, but in today’s society, releasing and bringing invasive species into the environment has come to a near existent halt.

There is a problem because these invasive species cause serious ecological disturbances. They do this by killing off other plant life. “More than 3,400 species of alien plants have invaded over 200 million acres of the US” (Tallamy, “A Call For Backyard Biodiversity”). This puts great pressure on native plants, and threatened species may submit to this pressure. Ultimately, invasive plants reduce biodiversity and alter habitats. Reduction in biodiversity is caused because invasive plant species spread quickly and can displace native plants, prevent native plant growth, and create monocultures. “A healthy community of plants incudes a variety of herbs, shrubs, and trees.” (“The Problem With Invasive Plants”). Without this biodiversity our environment loses some of its positive impacts. Invasive plants cause biological pollution by reducing plant species diversity. Invasive plants can reduce the amount of tree cover by preventing

Invasive species are normally introduced by accident by getting on someone or something (boats, animals, etc.) and spreading to a new area. People with good intentions can help the invasives to spread when they are not informed about the proper ways to handle them. Some people think that if they find an invasive species they can put it in the compost and it will not spread. Unfortunately, the truth is that the plant fragments can re-sprout. Many people may not even be aware of what plants are invasive or native. For example, in California, there is an invasive plant called cotoneaster and it is sold in 46% of nurseries in the entire state totaling at about 58 nurseries where they are being sold (The Nature Conservancy). If the owners of these nurseries knew the plants they were selling were an invasive

Humans should take care of the invasive plants because the invasive plants can completely wipe out the plants that should be here. I think that it is a good idea for humans to address the issue because they’re the ones who brought these invasive species into the US. Humans should deal with these invasive species because the animals and plants that they brought in here are damaging and killing the ones that are supposed to be here. Animals that are supposed to be here are being killed by ones that aren’t supposed to be here. There are animals and plants that eat or kill the plants that animals who are supposed to be here eat. If humans don’t address this issue then all of the food that non-invasive animals eat will be gone. They won’t be

Influence on ecosystems range from human causes like the bulldozing of a forest to natural causes like a fire or a flood.  In recent times, the introduction and spread of invasive species has transformed native communities rapidly and, in some cases, created irreversible damages.  In the Earth’s history, changes have often occurred in the ecosystems.  For example, glaciers and the retreat of glaciers cause wide-spread changes.  However, although change is a constant in ecosystems, animals and habitats often cannot adapt to the rapid alterations of non-natural stresses.  Harm to the environment from the introduction of invasive species occurs through changes in the habitat and declines in the native species.  Invasive species

The biodiversity effects of non-native invasive species have been described as “immense, insidious and usually irreversible” (Veitch and Clout, 2002). There is significant evidence proving that invasive species can cause severe economic, environmental and ecological damage (Mack et al., 2000). A lot of time and research has been devoted to dividing the world into regions with distinctive habitats and species. Numerous pathways, mostly anthropogenic, are breaking down these realms and facilitating the ecological and biological invasion of non-native species.