Invasive Species

What are they?

Why are they important?

What can we do about them?

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Invasive Species

An "invasive species" is defined as a species that is

1)non–native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration

and

2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.

What is an Invasive Species?

Invasive Species

Which Invasive Species Affect Us?

• We encounter invasive species every day, and most are benign or beneficial.

• Invasive species affecting us in Arkansas include plants and animals.

• Some examples of common invasive species include:

Invasive Species

Examples of insectsRed Imported Fire Ant

Asian Tiger mosquito

Susan Ellis, www.forestryimages.org

USDA APHIS PPQ Archives, USDA APHIS, www.forestryimages.org

Invasive Species

www.scsc.k12.ar.us

nutria

zebra mussel

U.S. Geological Survey Archives, U.S. Geological Survey, www.forestryimages.org

starlingLee Karney, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, www.forestryimages.org

Invasive Species

Examples of plants

Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus)

kudzu

David J. Moorhead, The University of Georgia, www.forestryimages.org

James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, www.forestryimages.org

Invasive Species

Examples of microbesWest Nile Virus, 2005

As an example of spread of invasive species, consider that West Nile Virus spread across the US in only a few years after appearing first in 1999.

Invasive Species

There are approximately 4,000 exotic plant species and 2,300 non-native animal species in the US.

A few cause problems: just 79 species caused $97 billion in direct economic losses in the US during 1906-1991.

Source: America’s Least Wanted, The Nature Conservancy 1996.

Invasive Species

Invasive species can cause ecological damage by

• Altering ecosystem physical or chemical properties

• Depleting native wildlife by preying on them or by niche competition

• Setting off cascading biological changes in the systems they invade

Chestnut blight

American Chestnut – lost to an invasive species, chestnut blight

Historic range of American chestnut

Some invasive species can cause huge ecological and economic impacts.

Invasive Species

Examples of established invasive species in forests: insects and diseases

Chestnut blight, Dutch elm disease, gypsy

moth, balsam wooly adelgid, hemlock wooly

adelgid, pecan weevil, . . .

Invasive Species

Examples of established invasive species in forests: plants

Kudzu, Japanese honeysuckle, princesstree,

privets, Tree–of–Heaven, mimosa, Chinaberry,

English ivy, Nepalese browntop, bamboos,

giant reed, lespedezas, non–native wisterias, ...

Invasive Species

Examples of threatening invasive species in forests:

• Insects

• Diseases

• Plants

Invasive Species

Asian Longhorned Beetle

Donald Duerr, USDA Forest Service, www.forestryimages.org

Thomas B. Denholm, New Jersey Department of Agriculture, www.forestryimages.org

ALB risk map

Invasive Species

Invasive Species

Gypsy Moth

Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Archives, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, www.forestryimages.org

USDA APHIS PPQ Archives, USDA APHIS PPQ, www.forestryimages.org

Invasive Species

Gypsy Moth

Gypsy Moth damage

Mark Robinson, forestryimages.org

Invasive Species

Emerald Ash Borer

David Cappaert, , www.forestryimages.org

James W. Smith, USDA APHIS PPQ, www.forestryimages.org

Andrew J. Storer, MI Tech. University

Invasive Species

European Wood Wasp

William M. Ciesla, Forest Health Management International, www.forestryimages.org

Stanislaw Kinelski, , www.forestryimages.org

Invasive Species

Pine Shoot Beetle

orth Central Research Station Forestry Science Laboratory

Invasive Species

Formosan Termite

Gerald J. Lenhard, , www.forestryimages.org

Invasive Species

Kudzu

David J. Moorhead, The University of Georgia, www.forestryimages.org

James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, www.forestryimages.org

Kudzu infestation

John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, www.forestryimages.org

Kudzu infestation

Kudzu infestation

Kerry Britton, USDA Forest Service, www.forestryimages.org

Invasive Species

Chinese Wisteria

Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society, www.forestryimages.org

James R. Allison, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, www.forestryimages.org

Invasive Species

Cogongrass

Wilson Faircloth, USDA Agricultural Research Service, www.forestryimages.org

showing off-center mid-vein G. Keith Douce, The University of Georgia, www.forestryimages.org

Cogongrass rhizomesCogongrass rhizomes

Craig Ramsey, USDA APHIS PPQ, www.forestryimages.org

Cogongrass infestationCogongrass

infestation

Note the distinctive circular infestations in the planted stand.

Craig Ramsey, USDA APHIS PPQ, www.forestryimages.org

Wilson Faircloth, USDA Agricultural Research Service, www.forestryimages.org

Invasive Species

Chinese Tallow (popcorn tree)

Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society, www.forestryimages.org

James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, www.forestryimages.org

AR Champion Chinese Tallow: Located in Des Arc, has diameter 10.7 inches, height 39 feet and crown spread 32 feet.

University of Arkansas Extension Service

Chinese Tallow infestation

Invasive Species

Callery Pear

Chuck Bargeron, The University of Georgia, www.forestryimages.org

Dan Tenaglia, www.missouriplants.com, www.forestryimages.org

Callery pear bloomingBritt Slattery, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, www.forestryimages.org

Invasive Species

Chinese Privet / European Privet

Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society, www.forestryimages.org James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, www.forestryimages.org

Privet infestationJames H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, www.forestryimages.org

Invasive Species

Tropical Soda Apple

Charles T. Bryson, USDA Agricultural Research Service, www.forestryimages.org

J. Jeffrey Mullahey, University of Florida, www.forestryimages.org J. Jeffrey Mullahey, University of Florida, www.forestryimages.org

Invasive Species

Tropical Soda Apple

James Rollins, , www.forestryimages.org

Invasive Species

The Dirty Dozen

Zebra Mussel

Purple Loosestrife

Flathead Catfish

Tamarisk

Rosy Wolfsnail

Leafy Spurge

Green Crab

Hydrilla

Balsam Wooly Adelgid

Miconia

Chinese Tallow

Brown Tree Snake

Source: America’s Least Wanted, The Nature Conservancy 1996.

Invasive Species

The Dirty Dozen in Arkansas

Zebra Mussel

Purple Loosestrife

Flathead Catfish

Tamarisk

Rosy Wolfsnail

Leafy Spurge

Green Crab

Hydrilla

Balsam Wooly Adelgid

Miconia

Chinese Tallow

Brown Tree Snake

Yellow: found in Arkansas; Blue: in adjacent states. Source: America’s Least Wanted, The Nature Conservancy 1996.

Invasive Species

Action: national and stateNational Invasive

Species Council

USDA:

APHIS

USFS

NRCS

Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds

National Park Service

US Fish & Wildlife Service

The Nature Conservancy

Exotic Plant Pest Councils

State forestry agencies

Regional Tropical Soda Apple Task Force

AR State Plant Board

Invasive Species

Action: us

• Awareness: what are the most threatening pests?

• Identification: be able to identify invasive species

• Control: know where to get information on control

• Education: teach others

• Individual actions / behaviors: especially, don’t help invasive species spread!

Invasive Species

Resources:

Websites:

www.invasivespecies.gov

www.invasive.org

tncweeds.ucdavis.edu

Books, Field Guides, and other materials:

"Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests“