| What
is an Invasive Plant? |
| "Invasive plant"
is a name for a species that has become a weed pest, a plant
which grows aggressively, spreads, and displaces other plants.
Invasive plants tend to appear on disturbed ground, and the
most aggressive can actually invade existing ecosystems. Invasive
plants are generally undesirable because they are difficult
to control, can escape from cultivation, and can dominate whole
areas. In short, invasive plant infestations can be extremely
expensive to control, as well as environmentally destructive.
A small number of invasives are "native," meaning
they occurred in Pennsylvania before settlement by Europeans
but became aggressive after the landscape was altered. However,
most invasive plants arrived from other continents and are often
referred to as "exotic," "alien," introduced,"
or "nonnative" invasives. An aggressive plant freed
from its environmental, pest, and disease limits, can become
an invader of other ecosystems. |
|
| Penn State Resources |
| Penn State Weed Managment |
| Directory
for Invasive Weeds of the Northeast
-- This directory offers a comprehensive
list of web information related to invasive weeds for the northeastern
United States. This is an ongoing project at Penn State University
in the Department of
Crop and Soil Sciences. |
| Invasive
Species Information--Department of Entomology |
| Invaders
are Harming Pennsylvania Forests--PSU
Cooperative Extension |
| PA
IPM Purple Loosestrife Information site |
| Keeping
Emerging Diseases and Invasive Species Out--PA
Impacts |
| Entomology
Fact Sheets |
| Strange
Invaders--PDF Publication |
| |
| Related Information |
| InvasiveSpecies.gov--
is the gateway to Federal efforts concerning invasive species. |
| Invasive
Plants in Pennsylvania -- DCNR |
| PDA
Plant Pests, Diseases & Weeds |
| Pennsylvania
Noxious Weed Control List |
| USDA
Database of Noxious Weeds in US and Canada |
| NPS
Alian Plant Invaders of Natural Areas--Illustrated, easy-to-read
fact sheets on invasive alien plants with native ranges, plant
descriptions, ecological threats, U.S. distributions & habitats,
background of introductions, plant reproduction & dispersal,
management approaches, alternative native plants, and other
useful information. |
