Abstract
Nearly 6,500 nonnative species are present in the United States and are responsible for the extinction of over 760 native species. The introduction of invasive species is ongoing and the ecological ramifications of these invasions are diverse but could include competition between invasive and native species, disruption of natural ecological processes, and reduced ecosystem services. While invasive species are able to severely damage vital ecosystems, there are methods of predicting and lessening the impacts. Our goal is to educate our campus community about the impact of invasive species on native ecosystems, including the dangers of invasive species, and how we can prevent future invasions. To accomplish this, we conducted an extensive literature review to examine how invasive species are controlled and managed, and how current preventative measures can be improved upon. We hypothesize that a greater focus on successful preventative measurements will reflect a decrease in overall human transportation and the spread of invasive species. The connection between conservation and invasive species plays an important role in understanding and implementing preventative actions in ecosystems that are potentially susceptible to invasive species and is critical to protecting and maintaining biodiversity on our planet.
Class Standing
Junior
Department
Biology
Faculty Advisor
Jill Leonard
Faculty Advisor Email
jileonar@nmu.edu
Date
2022
Recommended Citation
Finley, Nadia S.; Thompson, Lorie L.; Ehrlich, Shannon A.; and Phillips, Kendall J., "Ecological Impacts of Invasive Species" (2022). Celebration of Student Scholarship. 42.
https://commons.nmu.edu/celebration_student_scholarship/42