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Changing climate conditions have bearing on every aspect of biological invasions, in some cases worsening existing problems. Climate change is creating new pathways for invasive species to be introduced, such as shipping routes that open up as sea ice retreats. Warmer temperatures can allow existing invasive species to expand their range into habitat that is currently too cool. Similarly, impacts to native species and people may change if new conditions affect invasive species abundance. Climate change may make existing invasive species control tools less effective, such as aquatic barriers that require minimum water flows.
An invasive species is an introduced, nonnative organism (disease, parasite, plant, or animal) that begins to spread or expand its range from the site of its original introduction and that has the potential to cause harm to the environment, the economy, or to human health. A few well-known examples include the unintentional introduction of the West Nile virus, chestnut blight, the South American...
The odds of eradicating an introduced population of reptiles once it has spread across a large area is very low – pointing to the importance of prevention, early detection, and rapid response. With the Burmese python now distributed across more than a thousand square miles of southern Florida, including all of Everglades National Park and across the southern coast to Rookery Bay National Estuarine...
Buffelgrass is a perennial grass from Africa that is invasive to the Sonoran Desert of the Southwest United States, where it threatens desert ecosystems by out-competing native plants and altering fire regimes. It has the potential to transform the Sonoran Desert ecosystem from a diverse assemblage of plants to a grassland monoculture. Buffelgrass was brought to Arizona in the 1930s for erosion...
Snakeheads are air-breathing freshwater fishes that are not native to North America. In scientific terms, snakeheads are divided into two distinct genera: Channa (snakeheads of Asia, Malaysia, and Indonesia) Parachanna (African snakeheads) In the summer of 2002 and again in late spring 2004, Channa argus, the northern snakehead, generated national media attention when anglers caught this fish in a...
Chinese tallow has been cultivated in nurseries and sold as an ornamental tree used for landscaping; however, it is now classified as a nuisance species in some locations and can no longer be sold. It has separate pollen and seed-bearing flowers, and seeds can be spread by birds and by moving water. Chinese tallow has spread from South Carolina all the way down to Florida, west into Texas, and has...
American bullfrogs are causing problems for native wildlife in Arizona. These non-native frogs are a threat to native species like the Chiricahua leopard frog and northern Mexican garter snake, which are already struggling to survive. Here, graduate students gather invasive American bullfrog tadpoles using a net.
American bullfrogs are causing problems for native wildlife in Arizona. These non-native frogs are a threat to native species like the Chiricahua leopard frog and northern Mexican garter snake, which are already struggling to survive. Here, graduate students gather invasive American bullfrog tadpoles using a net.
Invasive swamp eel (Monopterus albus) collected in central Florida. Swamp eels are used as bait and in live food markets and have the potential to impact the ecology and economics of a waterbody.
Invasive swamp eel (Monopterus albus) collected in central Florida. Swamp eels are used as bait and in live food markets and have the potential to impact the ecology and economics of a waterbody.
Among the world's most invasive freshwater fish, sharptooth walking catfish is considered one of the most widespread!
Among the world's most invasive freshwater fish, sharptooth walking catfish is considered one of the most widespread!
USGS Biologist Wes Bickford cutting invasive Phragmites australis underwater. Credit: Spencer Widin, USGS
USGS Biologist Wes Bickford cutting invasive Phragmites australis underwater. Credit: Spencer Widin, USGS
Timelapse camera imagery of cheatgrass growing over time after the Mullen fire in southern Wyoming. These images provide precise dates of green-up, flowering, and senescence of cheatgrass which can be paired with local climate data to create phenological predictions.
Timelapse camera imagery of cheatgrass growing over time after the Mullen fire in southern Wyoming. These images provide precise dates of green-up, flowering, and senescence of cheatgrass which can be paired with local climate data to create phenological predictions.
In 2018, USGS and partners completed an incredible feat against a harmful aquatic invasive species when over 240,000 pounds of invasive Silver Carp and Bighead Carp were removed from Creve Coeur Lake in Maryland Heights, Missouri.
In 2018, USGS and partners completed an incredible feat against a harmful aquatic invasive species when over 240,000 pounds of invasive Silver Carp and Bighead Carp were removed from Creve Coeur Lake in Maryland Heights, Missouri.
Invasive black and white tegu lizards (Salvator merianae). USGS is working on development of tools for the detection and capture of invasive reptiles in Florida.
Invasive black and white tegu lizards (Salvator merianae). USGS is working on development of tools for the detection and capture of invasive reptiles in Florida.
Snakehead fish are originally from China and Korea, but recently they've been found in Maryland, Virginia, Arkansas, California, and Florida.
Snakehead fish are originally from China and Korea, but recently they've been found in Maryland, Virginia, Arkansas, California, and Florida.
Non-native Burmese pythons have established a breeding population in South Florida and are one of the most concerning invasive species in Everglades National Park. This photograph is of a Burmese python hatchling
Non-native Burmese pythons have established a breeding population in South Florida and are one of the most concerning invasive species in Everglades National Park. This photograph is of a Burmese python hatchling
Part of a floristics inventory that was conducted to identify and photograph the vascular plants occurring at Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Texas, from March 2011 to March 2012 by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S.
Part of a floristics inventory that was conducted to identify and photograph the vascular plants occurring at Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Texas, from March 2011 to March 2012 by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S.
An invasive species is an introduced, nonnative organism (disease, parasite, plant, or animal) that begins to spread or expand its range from the site of its original introduction and that has the potential to cause harm to the environment, the economy, or to human health. A few well-known examples include the unintentional introduction of the West Nile virus, chestnut blight, the South American...
The odds of eradicating an introduced population of reptiles once it has spread across a large area is very low – pointing to the importance of prevention, early detection, and rapid response. With the Burmese python now distributed across more than a thousand square miles of southern Florida, including all of Everglades National Park and across the southern coast to Rookery Bay National Estuarine...
Buffelgrass is a perennial grass from Africa that is invasive to the Sonoran Desert of the Southwest United States, where it threatens desert ecosystems by out-competing native plants and altering fire regimes. It has the potential to transform the Sonoran Desert ecosystem from a diverse assemblage of plants to a grassland monoculture. Buffelgrass was brought to Arizona in the 1930s for erosion...
Snakeheads are air-breathing freshwater fishes that are not native to North America. In scientific terms, snakeheads are divided into two distinct genera: Channa (snakeheads of Asia, Malaysia, and Indonesia) Parachanna (African snakeheads) In the summer of 2002 and again in late spring 2004, Channa argus, the northern snakehead, generated national media attention when anglers caught this fish in a...
Chinese tallow has been cultivated in nurseries and sold as an ornamental tree used for landscaping; however, it is now classified as a nuisance species in some locations and can no longer be sold. It has separate pollen and seed-bearing flowers, and seeds can be spread by birds and by moving water. Chinese tallow has spread from South Carolina all the way down to Florida, west into Texas, and has...
American bullfrogs are causing problems for native wildlife in Arizona. These non-native frogs are a threat to native species like the Chiricahua leopard frog and northern Mexican garter snake, which are already struggling to survive. Here, graduate students gather invasive American bullfrog tadpoles using a net.
American bullfrogs are causing problems for native wildlife in Arizona. These non-native frogs are a threat to native species like the Chiricahua leopard frog and northern Mexican garter snake, which are already struggling to survive. Here, graduate students gather invasive American bullfrog tadpoles using a net.
Invasive swamp eel (Monopterus albus) collected in central Florida. Swamp eels are used as bait and in live food markets and have the potential to impact the ecology and economics of a waterbody.
Invasive swamp eel (Monopterus albus) collected in central Florida. Swamp eels are used as bait and in live food markets and have the potential to impact the ecology and economics of a waterbody.
Among the world's most invasive freshwater fish, sharptooth walking catfish is considered one of the most widespread!
Among the world's most invasive freshwater fish, sharptooth walking catfish is considered one of the most widespread!
USGS Biologist Wes Bickford cutting invasive Phragmites australis underwater. Credit: Spencer Widin, USGS
USGS Biologist Wes Bickford cutting invasive Phragmites australis underwater. Credit: Spencer Widin, USGS
Timelapse camera imagery of cheatgrass growing over time after the Mullen fire in southern Wyoming. These images provide precise dates of green-up, flowering, and senescence of cheatgrass which can be paired with local climate data to create phenological predictions.
Timelapse camera imagery of cheatgrass growing over time after the Mullen fire in southern Wyoming. These images provide precise dates of green-up, flowering, and senescence of cheatgrass which can be paired with local climate data to create phenological predictions.
In 2018, USGS and partners completed an incredible feat against a harmful aquatic invasive species when over 240,000 pounds of invasive Silver Carp and Bighead Carp were removed from Creve Coeur Lake in Maryland Heights, Missouri.
In 2018, USGS and partners completed an incredible feat against a harmful aquatic invasive species when over 240,000 pounds of invasive Silver Carp and Bighead Carp were removed from Creve Coeur Lake in Maryland Heights, Missouri.
Invasive black and white tegu lizards (Salvator merianae). USGS is working on development of tools for the detection and capture of invasive reptiles in Florida.
Invasive black and white tegu lizards (Salvator merianae). USGS is working on development of tools for the detection and capture of invasive reptiles in Florida.
Snakehead fish are originally from China and Korea, but recently they've been found in Maryland, Virginia, Arkansas, California, and Florida.
Snakehead fish are originally from China and Korea, but recently they've been found in Maryland, Virginia, Arkansas, California, and Florida.
Non-native Burmese pythons have established a breeding population in South Florida and are one of the most concerning invasive species in Everglades National Park. This photograph is of a Burmese python hatchling
Non-native Burmese pythons have established a breeding population in South Florida and are one of the most concerning invasive species in Everglades National Park. This photograph is of a Burmese python hatchling
Part of a floristics inventory that was conducted to identify and photograph the vascular plants occurring at Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Texas, from March 2011 to March 2012 by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S.
Part of a floristics inventory that was conducted to identify and photograph the vascular plants occurring at Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Texas, from March 2011 to March 2012 by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S.