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How do Invasive Species spread?
Invasive species
are spread in many ways.
Plant species can be introduced to new areas as ornamental plants and
groundcover in lawns and gardens. Species such as Bermuda grass and fountain
grass quickly spread outside the confines of their shrub beds and can
invade nearby wildlands.
New species can also be introduced through the exotic pet trade. Fish
tanks and aquariums that contain non-native vegetation and fish are often
dumped into storm drains, lakes and ponds when their owners can no longer
care for them. Some invasive species thought to have spread this way are
the plant giant salvinia, and the snakehead fish.
Agricultural crops can carry seeds from invasive plants. Contaminated
seed bags of alfalfa are thought to be the source of the invasive plant,
camelthorn.
Once established, plants can spread by seed or vegetatively. Seeds can be carried by wind, fire, water, or animals. They can hitchhike on the shoes of hikers, tire treads of vehicles, boats and boat trailers, and in the intestines of animals such as livestock, horses, and wildlife. Some invasive plants also have the ability to reproduce vegetatively by sending out underground shoots which form new plants. Plants that reproduce by this method include camelthorn and Bermuda grass.
How is Havasu National Wildlife Refuge managing invasive species?
