Can some plants be considered an invasive species?
Plants form the foundation of biological communities, and invasive plant species can alter an ecosystem substantially. The five Gulf states together have more than 30 species of non-indigenous aquatic plants, which includes the notorious hydrilla. Hydrilla, shown to be a problem in all the Gulf states , reproduces by fragmentation. When it is cut each piece produces a new plant, allowing the species to quickly impede waterways, overgrow and shadow native plants and clog waterways. Several million dollars have been spent by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tennessee Valley Authority and Alabama Power trying to control the spread of this species.
