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Invasive species is the second letter in the acronym HIPPO. HIPPO stands for Habitat destruction, Invasive species, Pollution, human overpopulation, and Overharvesting by hunting and fishing. According to The National Wildlife Federation, invasive species are defined as “any kind of living organism—an amphibian, plant, insect, fish, fungus, bacteria, or even an organism’s seeds or eggs—that is not native to an ecosystem and causes harm.” Invasive species are one of the largest threats to native species and are a problem experienced in nearly every country around the world. The National Wildlife Federation states that “approximately 42 percent of threatened or endangered species are at risk due to invasive species”. Some ways invasive species damage native species include: reducing biodiversity, altering soil characteristics, interfering with natural selection, repelling or poisoning native insects, competing for pollinators, and diluting the genetic composition of native plants through hybridization.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Terrestrial Nuisance Plan lists 52 terrestrial invasive species that pose a severe threat to native wildlife. Some of the most damaging invasive terrestrial species listed include Lymantria dispar gypsy moth, Solenopsis wagneri fire ant, and Sus scrofa Feral hog. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Aquatic Nuisance Plan lists 19 aquatic species that are a severe threat to native wildlife. Some of the most damaging invasive terrestrial species listed include Polygonum cuspidatum Japanese knotweed, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix silver carp, and Dreissena polymorpha zebra mussel. The Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council has listed about 182 species of plants that are considered invasive. It splits the plants into three categories of invasiveness: severe threat, significant threat, and invasive threat. A few of the most severe invasive plants in Kentucky listed include Euonymus fortunei wintercreeper, Lonicera maackii bush honeysuckle, and kudzu.
Invasive species economic damage cost approximately $120 billion a year in the United States alone. When expanding the statistic globally the price increases to nearly 1.4 trillion a year in economic damages. Invasive species are not only one of the largest threats to native wildlife they are also one of the most expensive threats. The United States Department of Agriculture National Invasive Species Information Center states that “The economic and social impacts of invasive species include both direct effects of a species on property values, agricultural productivity, public utility operations, native fisheries, tourism, and outdoor recreation, as well as costs associated with invasive species control efforts”. So not only are invasive species threatening to native wildlife, but they are also economically damaging and have negative social impacts.
In Kentucky invasive species economically impact commercial fishing, aquaculture, operations, logging, and agriculture. The economic impact of invasive species in Kentucky directly correlates to the social impact. When invasive species impact the economy they also impact recreational tourism experiences like hunting, hiking, fishing, swimming, and boating. Asian carp alone has one of the largest economic and social impacts in Kentucky. An ABC News article states that federal agencies have already spent roughly 607 million to stop the spread of Asian carp and a new 15-year battle to halt the advance of Asian carp will put the price at around 1.5 million. Spending 1.5 million in an attempt to not stop but only slow down the spread of an invasive species is quite a heavy price tag.
Invasive species are still a major issue not only in Kentucky but globally. As previously mentioned 1.4 trillion dollars a year are spent on the damage caused by invasive species. In the United States, approximately 4000 known plant species and 2300 known animal species have been identified as invasive. Thirty percent of endangered species in the United States are endangered because of invasive species. In Kentucky the Dutch Elm disease fungus has killed over 100 million American Elm trees, the West Nile virus has affected hundreds of horses and killed over 150, and the purple loosestrife wetland plant has displaced native wetland plants and harmed waterfowl habitats. These three examples have caused an abundance of damage but are nothing compared to the thousands of invasive species causing damage to native wildlife worldwide. Invasive species is the second largest cause of biodiversity loss.
There are no simple solutions to the invasive species problem but there are a few simple things anyone can do to help prevent the further spread of invasive species. The U.S. Department of Agricultural Forest Service has listed how to prevent the spread of invasive species when at home and when traveling. A few examples the website lists are: when at home one should avoid planting invasive ornamental plants and instead use native ornamental plants, learn how to remove invasive plants on your property, and do not dump aquariums or houseplants into the environment. When traveling the website suggests: cleaning your clothes, boat, animals, and gear off after recreating, not collecting invasive species, and not carrying firewood long distances. Overall the best way to help stop invasive species is to be preventative and proactive instead of reactive.
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