1. Joe Prange, Kelvin Roe, Adam Stenner
Invasive Species
Joe Prange, Kelvin Roe, Adam Stenner

2. What is it?
Plants, animals, or pathogens that are non-native (alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause harm
Bullies in nature
Giant African Snail
Purple Loosestrife

3. Problems with Invasive Species
Invasive species take over an entire area and eliminate biodiversity
Chase out our native species
They have no natural predator
Results in a monoculture

4. How do they move? Not washing your boat off Moving firewood
Catch on your clothes or shoes
Dumping bait into another body of water
Through roots
By seeds
Wind or water

5. Why Should We Care? United States – $137 billion per year
Problems to our health
Pollen can increase the severity of respiratory allergies
Sap can cause skin irritation
Venomous bites from different animals
Invasive rodents, mosquitoes, and ticks can transmit deadly pathogens

6. Continued Some increase the severity and frequency of wildfires
Alter nutrient availability and water quality
Prevent re-growth of trees or other plants
Competition for other species
Do not provide food

7. Prevention Inspect your boat, rinse off mud, plants, animals
Drain water from boat
Dispose of unwanted bait in trash
Educate yourself/Learn to identify
Report any sightings
Make others aware

8. Resources