Transcript Invasive Species: The Dirty Dozen Plus Friends

Invasive Species
The Dirty Dozen
Plus Friends
Paul Dolan
Small Forest are A Big Deal
Invasive Plants
Invasive Plants
Japanese Stiltgrass
Microstegium vimineum
What is an Invasive?
Invasive species:
Non-native species that have become dominant
elements of natural communities, and have caused, or
have the potential to cause economic damage,
environmental harm or pose human health risks.
Invasive Characteristics
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Fast
Tolerate wide range of
environ. conditions
Prolific Reproduction
Long growing season
Excellent Dispersers
Change ecosystems in their
favor
Great Competitors
How did they arrive?
Norway Maple
Norway Maple
Acer platanoides
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Europe
Introduced as
ornamental for urban
hardiness
Allelopathic
chemicals decrease
undergrowth and can
increase soil erosion
Still sold widely
Ailanthus
Tree of Heaven
Ailanthus altissima
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Originally from China
Introduced as ornamental and
for erosion control (1784)
Prolific seeder and root sprouts
Suppresses other species with
allelopathic chemicals
Foul odor, can damage
structures, infrastructure
Garlic Mustard
Garlic Mustard
Alliaria petiolata
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Europe
Introduced as an edible culinary
herb (1868)
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Flowers and seed from young
plants
Threatens native wildflowers
Threat to some endangered
species
Allelopathic chemicals harm
helpful soil fungi that help
native plants
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Barberry
Berberis thunbergii
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Japan
Introduced as ornamental
Numerous seeds with high
germination rate, transported by
birds and small mammals
Alters soil pH, nitrogen, and
biological activity
Displaces wildlife forage (deer
will not browse it)
Host for Black Rust (disease of
wheat)
Japanese Bittersweet
Oriental Bittersweet
Celastrus orbiculatus
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Eastern Aisia, Japan
Introduced to prevent soil
erosion (1879), decorative fruits
Growing vine chokes other
vegetation, and can cause trees
to uproot
Supplanting American
bittersweet (competition,
hybrids)
Black Swallow-Wort
Black Swallow Wort
Cynanchum louiseae
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Southwestern Europe
Introduced in Essex, MA
botanical garden (1854)
Crowds other species in old
fields (e.g. cool season grasses),
disrupts grassland bird
populations
Also propagates via rhizomes
making patchy clumps
Disrupts Monarch Butterfly
Jessup Milk Vetch (listed)
Autumn Olive
Autumn Olive
Elaeagnus umbellata
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Introduced from East Asia
& Japan
Invades old fields and
disturbed sites
Crowds other plants
Key Identifiers
 Large bush, small tree
 Silver shimmering
leaves
Burning Bush
Winged Burning Bush
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Edges and old fields
Key Identifiers
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Corky ridges (wings) along stems
Bright red foliage
Confused with some blueberries or
winged elm (dormant)
Mechanical removal
Chemical applications to cut stems
Winged Burning Bush
Euonymus alatus
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East Asia, Japan
Introduced as an ornamental
Spreads by roots and animal
dispersed seeds
Japanese Honey Suckle
Lonicera japonica
Bush Honeysuckles
Amur, Bells, Morrow, and Tartarian
Lonicera spp.
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Originally from Eurasia
Introduced for ornamental,
wildlife, and erosion control
Crowds other species
(sunlight and water)
Seeds are disseminated by
birds
Seeds have lower fat content
for migratory birds
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Knotweed
Fallopia japonica
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Japan
Introduced
Edible and desirable to
beekeepers
Excludes native plants
Prolific root sprouts
Winged seeds
Multiflora Rose
Multiflora Rose
Rosa multiflora
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Japan
Introduced as an ornamental
(1836), NRCS used it for
erosion control in 1930s
Forms dense, thorny
thickets
Fruits dispersed by birds
EUROPEAN BUCKTHORN
Common Buckthorn
Rhamnus cathartica
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Originally Africa, Europe, Asia
Introduced as ornamental, fence
rows, and wildlife cover (1800’s)
Even-aged thickets crowd shrubs
and herbaceous species
Abundant fruit and seeds are
spread through the guts of birds
and small mammals.
Sycamore Maple
Phragmities
Common Reed
aka Phragmites
Fallopia japonica
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Eurasia
Introduction as discarded ships’
ballast in 1700’s and 1800’s
Rapidly invades marsh
communities (roots spread 10 ft
per year)
Alters hydrology
Alters wildlife habitat
Fire hazard
Mile A Minute Vine
Mile-a-minute vine, Persicaria
perfoliata (Polygonum perfoliatum)
Annual clinging vine of open,
moist habitats
Fruit is buoyant
Impacts to riverine systems, emergent
wetlands, and early successional
habitat
Blue berries
Perfoliate leaf supports a
terminal flowering stalk
Triangular leaf, minutely
toothed along the margin
Blue-green color
Downward facing prickles
Any Questions