Many plants and animals that are familiar to us today are not native. Some species are introduced intentionally for purposes of hunting and fishing; as an economic means to expand food or industry markets; or for cultural nostalgia. Yet, second only to habitat loss, the introduction of non-native or ?exotic? species is a major threat to biodiversity. These species are often invasive creatures that adversely affect the habitats they enter ecologically, environmentally, or economically.
Due to the potential for damage by many non-native species, researchers have identified certain characteristics that can help predict a high level of invasiveness. These include: fast growth, asexual or rapid reproduction, the ability to live off of many different food types and sources, tolerance of a wide range of environmental conditions, and an association with humans.
From 1935 to the mid-1950s, the U.S. Department of Agriculture encouraged farmers in the southern U.S. to plant kudzu (a climbing, semi-woody perennial vine) to help reduce soil erosion. However, kudzu has become a costly nuisance, choking native plants under its quick-spreading blanket of leaves and tough vines. Despite this, not all introduced species are considered threats; wheat, rice, cattle, poultry, domesticated pigs and other food crops introduced in the United States now provide more than 98 percent of our food.
Aside from intentional introduction, non-native species can also migrate naturally, or can ?hitch a ride.? Many organisms have proven to be quite deft at stowing away during transport, whether it is on another plant or animal or on a man-made medium. An excellent example of this is the zebra mussel. Native to the Black and Caspian seas, the zebra mussel was introduced into the Great Lakes via the ballast water from a transoceanic ship. The zebra mussel has since out-competed many native species, become disruptive to local ecosystems, damaged harbors and boats, and is a source of obstruction for power and water treatment plant pipes.
Invasive species can have varied effects on native species, the surrounding ecosystem, and the economy. The most significant effect is that of competition with or predation of other species. However, invasive species can impact other species through hybridization, and can alter ecosystem services, including nutrient cycling and water filtration. Some of the economic impacts of invasive species can be seen through reduced agricultural yields, forest infestation and infection, a reduction in tourism and recreation activities, and increasing health threats due to new exotic diseases. A good example of this is the West Nile virus, which has resulted in human deaths and the death of a number of birds, reptiles, and other mammals.
A variety of mechanical, chemical, and biological options are used to help control the damage caused by invasive species. Mechanical controls include burning, mowing, and hand pulling of invasive plants, hunting and trapping animals, or inserting barriers ? like netting ? that prevent aquatic organisms from entering specific waters. Chemical controls are primarily through the application of pesticides and herbicides, although these create their own unique set of environmental problems. Finally, biological control involves introducing an organism that can control the invasive species. Unfortunately, with this type of control, the possibility exists that the new organism may be ineffective, it may prey on native species, or it could even become invasive to the area.
The ultimate goal is to prevent the spread of non-native or invasive species. Many countries have passed laws and established programs to help monitor and limit the entry of non-native species, providing "blacklists" of plants and animals thought to be potentially harmful. In the U.S., a mandate exists for ballast management of all ships entering U.S. waters from outside the Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States. Yet, despite all of these measures, preventing the spread of non-native species ? especially those that are invasive ? is often very difficult since it only takes one person or ?instrument? to transport a species to a new area.
National Invasive Species Information Center This website was created to connect consumers and scientists to U.S. government information on invasive terrestrial and aquatic plants, animals, and microbes. See the ?Interactive Learning module? for a comprehensive, but non-technical, explanation of why invasive species are problematic.
Global Invasive Species Team This group is part of The Nature Conservancy?s response to abating damage caused by human-facilitated introduction of non-native, harmful invasive species. They provide information, pictures, and movies of some of the most troublesome invaders, including the water hyacinth and the purple loosestrife. To find out what the worst weed invaders are in your state, see this map.
Aquatic Invasive Species Minnesota SeaGrant provides a site full of profiles of invasive species, as well as a variety of resources on the topic. There is also a separate section for educators.
National Invasive Species Act (NISA) The Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 was reauthorized as the NISA in 1996. The Act primarily targets the unintentional introduction of alien species via the ballast water of ships, especially with the Great Lakes.
The Plant Protection Act (PPA) This Act consolidates all of part of 10 USDA plant health laws ? including the Federal Noxious Weed Act of 1974 ? into one comprehensive law. The PPA gives the Secretary of Agriculture and APHIS the ability to prohibit or restrict the importation, exportation, and the interstate movement of plants, plant products, certain biological control organisms, noxious weeds, and plant pests.
Lacey Act First passed in 1900, the Lacey Act protects endangered fish and wildlife from illegal import and export.
What a Headache Since being introduced to Guam in the 1940s, brown tree snakes, which have no natural predators on the island, have almost wiped out the native bird population. In 2002, Science News reported on a novel approach for treating this ecological headache -- acetaminophen. The primary ingredient of TylenolŪ is lethal to brown snakes, even in small doses.