Invasive
plants are increasingly altering the structure and function of our natural
environment, and now researchers have determined how far-reaching the problem
has become. According to a study conducted by
U.S. Forest Service and university scientists and published in the journal
NeoBiota, at least one invasive species is present in 39 percent of forested
plots sampled nationwide for invasive plants by the Forest Service ForestInventory and Analysis (FIA) program. Results are provided for all U.S. regions
and reveal that a significant portion of the more than 741 million acres of
forested land in the United States has been invaded.
Eastern forests have higher
invasion-intensity — that is, a higher percentage of FIA sample sites
containing invasive plants of concern in the region or individual states within
— than western forests (46 percent vs. 11 percent). Hawaii’s forests have the
highest invasion-intensity (70 percent), while forests in Alaska (6 percent)
and the Intermountain region (6 percent) have the lowest invasion-intensity.
The researchers created a U.S. map of invasion-intensity to illustrate the
extent of the problem and help inform management actions across the landscape.
“The accumulated FIA dataset includes
multiple measurements of the same plots and continues to grow through time.
This will allow researchers to expand the knowledge base and fill knowledge
gaps as invasion patterns at large spatial and temporal scales are revealed,”
says Christopher Oswalt, FIA research forester and the study’s lead author.
“For this study, our intention was to let people see how large data sets can be
used to understand macro-scale issues and monitoring forest invasion. This
broad-scale study gives us a wider perspective that one can’t get from local
studies,” says Qinfeng Guo, a study co-author and research ecologist with the
Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center.
Scientists are seeking to understand
what processes influence the scale of invasion and how species behave,
especially under different growing conditions, but one thing is clear: land use
legacies appear to play a large role in the patterns of invasive plants and the
impacts they may have. In the southern United States, for example, the “top
two” most invasive plants are Japanese honeysuckle and Chinese privet — both
introduced and once popular for ornamental and other purposes. Some rose
species, such as multiflora rose, and Chinese lespedeza were introduced to
stabilize soils, among other uses.
The progression of time shows how
well a plant manages to spread, and thus, becomes considered invasive. Invasive
plants that have been around for some time and are widespread call for a great
deal of physical effort to rid them from a site, so it is important for
landowners and managers to become part of the solution to the invasive plant
problem.
Prevention of the introduction or
propagation of invasive plants is the first line of action. Whether managing
many acres or a small garden, landowners and managers should become familiar
with plants that become invasive and not purchase or plant them. If landowners
or managers cultivate invasive plants and choose to keep them, collection and
disposal of the seeds are necessary, as are measures to keep invaders under control
so they cannot spread beyond where they are planted.
If invasive plants appear in a
forest, neighborhood, or garden, or if plants begin to spread along margins
where they are not welcome, control and elimination are essential. Limiting how
plants reproduce (destroying seeds, altering habitats to prevent establishment)
is an effective way to restrict spread. Weeding out a small patch of an
invasive plant may save neighbors and managers of local forests and parks many
hours of work and could reduce other impacts on natural resources, including
water and wildlife, as well as management costs.
Rapid response and steps to eradicate
unwanted introductions are easier in the long run than having to manage the
complex consequences of invasive plants. Many user-friendly resources are
available to help landowners, including:
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