Invasive Species - What's New on NISIC's Site

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the New York State Canal Corporation continue to implement a comprehensive effort, including a rapid response plan [PDF, 1.73 MB], to combat the potential spread of the round goby, an aquatic invasive species (AIS), to the Lake Champlain Basin following the discovery of the fish in the Hudson River near the city of Troy in July 2021. Aquatic invasive species can out-compete native fish species, disrupting ecosystems and damaging local economies dependent on recreation.

It is now illegal to sell, grow, or plant Callery pear (also known as Bradford pear) in Ohio because of its invasive qualities and likelihood to cause economic or environmental harm. There is no requirement for the removal of existing plants, but the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry encourages control and removal to benefit native forest ecosystems.

Assays of environmental DNA — traces of genetic material found in air, soil, and water — may improve scientists’ ability to detect bat roosts and track the spread of white-nose syndrome, a disease caused by a killer fungus spread easily in the close quarters of hibernacula. In this research, scientists experienced success in detecting bats in field collected samples of environmental DNA, though the technology is still in the experimental stage.

The Minnesota DNR’s Invasive Species Program has embarked on an exciting project that aims to better promote the adoption of desirable aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention behaviors and create positive social norms supporting AIS prevention in Minnesota.

An ad hoc study committee appointed by the National Academies of Sciences, Medicine, and Engineering is assessing federal, state, tribal and private sector needs and capacity for supplying native plant seeds for ecological restoration and other purposes. A final report (2023) examines the needs for native plant restoration and other activities, provides recommendations for improving the reliability, predictability, and performance of the native seed supply, and presents an ambitious agenda for action.

The New Guinea flatworm was first found in Florida in 2012. It's method of introduction is unknown, although land flatworms have been known to be introduced in the soil of imported plants. New Guinea flatworms are predators of land snails.

Hammerhead worm was first discovered in 1891. It was introduced by movement of infested plants and soil. These worms are predators of earthworms, could potentially impact agricultural, horticultural, and natural ecosystems

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing to the public the intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to examine the potential environmental effects of the Agency’s response activities to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in commercial and backyard poultry operations in the U.S. APHIS is requesting public comment to further define the scope of the EIS, identify reasonable alternatives and potential issues, as well as relevant information, studies, and/or analyses that APHIS should consider in the EIS.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is allocating more than $70 million to support 350 projects under the Plant Protection Act’s Section 7721 program as part of a nationwide effort to strengthen the country’s infrastructure for pest detection, surveillance, and mitigation, as well as protect the U.S. nursery system. Universities, states, federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, nonprofits, and Tribal organizations will carry out selected projects in 48 states, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

The arid and semiarid Great Basin of the western United States comprises parts of California, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and Oregon and can variously be described by its hydrology, topography, or biology. Biologically, the area has been defined historically by the native sagebrush and shrubs that thrive in the dry valleys of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains. But, as a recent study undertaken by researchers at the University of Montana and the Department of Agriculture notes, these native plant communities are rapidly being colonized by nonnative annual grasses like cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), red brome (B. rubens), and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae) to the detriment of wildlife and humans.