Why Are Non-Native Invasive Species So Successful?
Once established, non-native invasive species can out-compete native vegetation, including Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive plants for valuable water, light, nutrients and space. Non-native invasive species success is derived from their ability to: • flourish in habitats where population control mechanisms (i.e. defoliators or pathogens) are absent; • thrive on disturbed soils; • produce large quantities of seed; • disperse seeds over great distances by a variety of mechanisms (wind, birds, mammals; even humans); • develop aggressive root systems able to spread quickly over a large space; and • produce chemicals on one or more parts of the plant that inhibit the growth of nearby plants, or make them unpalatable (even poisonous) to grazing animals.
