Although invasive species are found in many different ecosystems worldwide and can come from any of the five kingdoms, the Environmental Center is particularly interested in those aquatic plants that are invasive in wetlands and moist terrestrial habitats. One in particular, phragmites australis - common reed, has been of particular interest because of its widespread distribution in all types of emergent wetlands. This large, coarse perennial grass out-competes other types of wetland plants because of its large size and density of stems. Once established, entire systems can be converted to monotypic stands of phragmites. When this happens, biodiversity of plants and often animals decreases sharply.

Continue to Solutions