Alien Invasives: No Home Team Advantage


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	Alien Invasives: No Home Team Advantage Old fields and early successional forests are a great place to look for interesting plants and animals that cannot be found in more mature woods. However, these recently disturbed areas are also more likely to be home to alien invasive species --- plants and animals that originated in Europe, Asia, or elsewhere and have gone wild in our woods and fields. Some alien species sit exactly where you put them --- like the daffodils you plant in your flower bed --- but others are invigorated by their new home and spread like wildfire, often crowding out native species in the process. Kudzu is an extreme example of an alien invasive species that wipes out everything in its path. This type of alien invasive species is one of the biggest threats our native ecosystems face. Why do alien invasive species grow so well in our area? Nature is made up of a series of checks and balances that prevent any one plant or animal from dominating all others. If a plant does very well, chances are an insect or fungus will come along and eat it up or make it sick. But when a plant from China is plopped down in the Virginia mountains, it leaves its predators and diseases behind in China. All around it, Virginia plants are struggling just to stay afloat, but the Chinese plant is untouched by Virginia insects and diseases, none of which know what to do with the odd plant. Before you know it, the Chinese plant has spread across the whole state and is threatening to wipe out every native plant in its path. Most of our invasive species were purposefully introduced by people who thought the plants would be a nice addition to their garden or useful for some other purpose. Scientists find it hard to predict which species will become invasive pests and which ones will sedately sit in your garden like a daffodil, so the best option is to landscape with native plants whenever possible. <--Back to May-Apples and Box Turtles On to Tree of Heaven and Garlic Mustard--> Want to be notified when new comments are posted on this page? Click on the RSS button after you add a comment to subscribe to the comment feed. Add a comment