1. Invasive Species

2. What is a native species?
Native species are those that normally live and thrive in a particular community. They occupy specific habitats and have specific niches in their native environment. They have natural predators that help to keep their populations in check.
Pink lady's slipper, Cypripedium acaule
Red fox, Vulpes vulpes

3. What is a non-native species?
 A species living outside its native distributional range, which has arrived there by human activity, either deliberate or accidental.  Non-native species are not necessarily invasive.
Multiflora rose, Rosa multiflora, was introduced for use as an ornamental plant, to control erosion, and to use as “living” fences for livestock.
Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha), were accidentally introduced to North America, and are now found in some Pennsylvanian waterways

4. What is an Invasive specie
Invasive species, also called introduced species, alien species, or exotic species, any nonnative species that significantly modifies or disrupts the ecosystems it colonizes
Most introduced species do not survive extended periods in new habitats, because they do not possess the evolutionary adaptations to adjust to the challenges posed by their new surroundings

5. Common characteristics of invasive species
Invasive species in general:
Have few natural predators, competitors, parasites or diseases
Have high reproductive rates
Are long-lived
Are generalists
Are pioneer species
Characteristics that make Zebra mussels a good invader include its ability to tolerate a wide-range of environments, and high reproduction rate; female mussels release up to 100,000 eggs ability to tolerate a wide-range of environments year.
Discussion: how would these characteristics enable a species to become invasive?

6. What traits are common to invasive plant species
Self-compatible
Flower early
Produces abundant seed
Disperse seed widely
Grow rapidly
Spread asexually
Strong competitors
Characteristics that make tree-of-heaven a good invader include its ability to flower early (within 2 years), ability to spread asexually, and fast growth rate.

7. Big problem
Invasive species affects all regions of the United States and every nation in the world.
Billions of dollars for damaged goods and equipment, a degraded environment, disease and even death.
Invasions can result in loss of native species and biological diversity at a rate that ranks second only to habitat destruction.

8. Invasion in the US.
In the United States alone, approximately 50,000 alien species are known, and the still growing.
Damages, losses, and control measures is costing the nation an average of 138 billion per year.
Also threaten nearly half of the species currently protected under the Endangered Species Act.

9. How did they get here?
Introduction and spread of invasive species are caused by many factors, including but not limited to:
Expanded global trade
Harvesting of exotic marine species to satisfy popular aquarium or plant trade
The use of non-native species to control pest
Ballast water

10. Invasive Species of the Florida Key’s
Cuban Tree Frog
Green Iguanas
Black spinytail Iguanas
Nutria
Lionfish
Python
Gambian Pouched rats
Nile monitor lizard
Monk Parakeets
Brazilian Pepper
Australian pine

11. LionFish Read the Article Answer the Questions
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