Fact Sheet
Invasive Species Fact Sheet
July 27, 2021
Issue Area
Invasive Species
Overview
Invasive species are any type of living organism that are not native to an ecosystem and cause harm. Found in all 50 states, invasive species can reproduce and spread rapidly, thrive in many different environments, and withstand threats that native species cannot.
Terrestrial Invasive Species (TIS) are invasive species that thrive on land. They can spread through a number of methods including captivity escape, purposeful release, wildlife trafficking, and otherwise legal trade. Efforts to control TIS have mainly taken the form of funding for research and management, market-based tools, public education, and following a principle of “Early Detection, Rapid Response.”
Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) are present in both fresh and saltwater ecosystems and are causing significant ecological and economic damage. AIS can spread in a variety of ways, including attaching to watercraft, through the dumping of unwanted live bait, sticking to the soles of waders, and via the release of water from ship ballasts and other water containment devices. Current AIS control methods include preventing new invasive introductions, detecting and responding to existing threats, market-based tools, and public education campaigns.
Key Facts
The cost of managing invasive species in the U.S. are estimated at roughly $120 billion per year.
The Great Lakes region is inundated with AIS such as zebra and quagga mussels. The management of zebra and quagga mussels alone costs $500 million annually for the Great Lakes.
Invasive plants already infest more than 100,000,000 acres of land in the United States and about 3 million acres are lost to invasive plants each year.
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