While these vast open spaces might seem uniform, they're actually home to diverse plant and animal species, and they provide a whole host of ecosystem services! Migratory birds and grazing animals increase biodiversity and are loved by all. Wildflowers support pollinators that are vital to sustainable agriculture.
What is buffelgrass?
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 control and began expanding rapidly in the 1980s. Left unchecked, buffelgrass will dominate the desert landscape and could enable regular, fast-moving wildfires.
USGS research shows that early treatment of areas invaded by buffelgrass can dramatically reduce the presence of this species.
Learn more: Invasive Plant Spotlight: Buffelgrass (National Park Service)
Related
How does climate change affect the challenge of invasive species?
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...
What is an invasive species and why are they a problem?
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...
What is tamarisk?
Tamarisk is an invasive shrub or small tree that is found across the American West. Also known as saltcedar, tamarisk favors sites that are inhospitable to native streamside plants because of high salinity, low water availability, and altered streamflow regimes created by dams. Researchers debate the extent of tamarisk’s negative impacts, but this invasive species can and does alter habitat...
What is cheatgrass and how is it harmful?
Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) originated in Europe or Eurasia and was introduced to the U.S. in the mid- to late-1800s as a contaminant in seed and straw. It germinates in the fall and early spring, and grows rapidly and in high numbers, making it highly competitive with native species. Cheatgrass is also disrupting the fire cycle in sage habitat and other Western ecosystems, leading to more...
How do Chinese tallow's characteristics make it such an aggressive invader?
The invasive Chinese tallow tree has the ability to reach reproductive age in as little as 3 years and to remain productive for at least 60 years. It does not seem to have a preference for disturbed areas over undisturbed areas and can grow in a variety of places. It can also grow in both full sunlight and shade. It is more tolerant of salinity and flooding than quite a few other native species...
Grassland Ecosystems
While these vast open spaces might seem uniform, they're actually home to diverse plant and animal species, and they provide a whole host of ecosystem services! Migratory birds and grazing animals increase biodiversity and are loved by all. Wildflowers support pollinators that are vital to sustainable agriculture.
Invasive Annual Grasses
Field of invasive annual grasses. Photo by Janet Prevéy (USGS - Fort Collins Science Center).
Field of invasive annual grasses. Photo by Janet Prevéy (USGS - Fort Collins Science Center).
Invasive Annual Grass Fills the Space Between Shrubs, Mojave
An unburned low elevation community in the central Mojave where the interspaces between shrubs have been filled in with a continuous layer of Mediterranean split grass Schismus barbatus. If a fire started here it would spread much more rapidly and be far more extensive than in a low elevation community where the interspaces are rocky or bare.
An unburned low elevation community in the central Mojave where the interspaces between shrubs have been filled in with a continuous layer of Mediterranean split grass Schismus barbatus. If a fire started here it would spread much more rapidly and be far more extensive than in a low elevation community where the interspaces are rocky or bare.
Phragmites, an invasive grass
Introduced Phragmites australis, also called the common reed, is an invasive grass in the Great Lakes.
Introduced Phragmites australis, also called the common reed, is an invasive grass in the Great Lakes.
PubTalk 8/2010 — Invasives and Wildfires in the West
New Crossroads in Science, Policy, and Management
by Julio Betancourt, Sr. Scientist and Desert Ecologist
New Crossroads in Science, Policy, and Management
by Julio Betancourt, Sr. Scientist and Desert Ecologist
Related
How does climate change affect the challenge of invasive species?
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...
What is an invasive species and why are they a problem?
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...
What is tamarisk?
Tamarisk is an invasive shrub or small tree that is found across the American West. Also known as saltcedar, tamarisk favors sites that are inhospitable to native streamside plants because of high salinity, low water availability, and altered streamflow regimes created by dams. Researchers debate the extent of tamarisk’s negative impacts, but this invasive species can and does alter habitat...
What is cheatgrass and how is it harmful?
Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) originated in Europe or Eurasia and was introduced to the U.S. in the mid- to late-1800s as a contaminant in seed and straw. It germinates in the fall and early spring, and grows rapidly and in high numbers, making it highly competitive with native species. Cheatgrass is also disrupting the fire cycle in sage habitat and other Western ecosystems, leading to more...
How do Chinese tallow's characteristics make it such an aggressive invader?
The invasive Chinese tallow tree has the ability to reach reproductive age in as little as 3 years and to remain productive for at least 60 years. It does not seem to have a preference for disturbed areas over undisturbed areas and can grow in a variety of places. It can also grow in both full sunlight and shade. It is more tolerant of salinity and flooding than quite a few other native species...
Grassland Ecosystems
While these vast open spaces might seem uniform, they're actually home to diverse plant and animal species, and they provide a whole host of ecosystem services! Migratory birds and grazing animals increase biodiversity and are loved by all. Wildflowers support pollinators that are vital to sustainable agriculture.
While these vast open spaces might seem uniform, they're actually home to diverse plant and animal species, and they provide a whole host of ecosystem services! Migratory birds and grazing animals increase biodiversity and are loved by all. Wildflowers support pollinators that are vital to sustainable agriculture.
Invasive Annual Grasses
Field of invasive annual grasses. Photo by Janet Prevéy (USGS - Fort Collins Science Center).
Field of invasive annual grasses. Photo by Janet Prevéy (USGS - Fort Collins Science Center).
Invasive Annual Grass Fills the Space Between Shrubs, Mojave
An unburned low elevation community in the central Mojave where the interspaces between shrubs have been filled in with a continuous layer of Mediterranean split grass Schismus barbatus. If a fire started here it would spread much more rapidly and be far more extensive than in a low elevation community where the interspaces are rocky or bare.
An unburned low elevation community in the central Mojave where the interspaces between shrubs have been filled in with a continuous layer of Mediterranean split grass Schismus barbatus. If a fire started here it would spread much more rapidly and be far more extensive than in a low elevation community where the interspaces are rocky or bare.
Phragmites, an invasive grass
Introduced Phragmites australis, also called the common reed, is an invasive grass in the Great Lakes.
Introduced Phragmites australis, also called the common reed, is an invasive grass in the Great Lakes.
PubTalk 8/2010 — Invasives and Wildfires in the West
New Crossroads in Science, Policy, and Management
by Julio Betancourt, Sr. Scientist and Desert Ecologist
New Crossroads in Science, Policy, and Management
by Julio Betancourt, Sr. Scientist and Desert Ecologist
Updated Date: May 20, 2025