Other alien species websites

Hawaii-centric alien species information sites

• Hawaii's Most Invasive Horticultural Plants
  The Hawaii State DLNR's Division of Forestry & Wildlife (DOFAW) has recently published a website entitled "Hawaii's Most Invasive Horticultural Plants." This site includes an excellent introduction to the problem of invasiveness in Hawaii, as well as a list of species considered to be Hawaii's most invasive horticultural plants (along with information about each, and pictures of many of them).

• Hawaii and the Pacific Islands
  This is an excellent, in-depth, and profusely illustrated article describing Hawaii, including its biogeography, natural history, and current biological status. It's a "must read" for any student of Hawaiian biology! (see website for correct citation; the "How to cite this site" link was dead as of this writing [14Dec99]; this is from the online version of the 1999 USGS publication, "Status and Trends of the Nation's Biological Resources")

• Rare Hawaii
  Over the years, a variety of game mammals have been introduced to Hawai'i to provide hunting opportunities. Over time, these animals have increased in number to crisis levels. It has been understood for some time that Hawai'i's native ecosystems are not compatible with introduced grazing mammals. The last remaining native forests and many, many species of rare plants and birds are now in danger of vanishing forever. In addition, our water is being contaminated with diseases such as leptospirosis, a serious health threat to humans. The need to balance the concerns of various groups such as hunters, native Hawaiians, and conservationists makes the problem difficult, but not impossible, to solve. We have reached a turning point where we must take quick and decisive action to preserve Hawai'i's diverse natural environment, or lose it. Every day that introduced game mammals roam, feed, and breed unchecked marks a reduction in the health and diversity of Hawai'i's lands and the many native animals and plants that depend on them. (This summary is based on the introduction presented at the Rare Hawaii home [25JAN2001].)

• USDA/APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine: Noxious Weeds Home Page
  As part of our mission to protect the health of American agriculture, APHIS has a major responsibility in preventing the spread of non-indigenous weeds into and through the United States. We are committed to using modern technologies to exclude, delimit. suppress, and eradicate non-indigenous weeds from the United States. These technologies will be appropriately applied and monitored to achieve environmentally sound and desirable management of invasive plants. In carrying out our mission and vision, we welcome input, cooperation, and coordination from other Federal agencies, States, counties and local governments, and the private sector. We hope that this Home Page will serve as a focal point for accessing information about noxious weeds and their control and eradication.
  • USDA-APHIS in Hawaii
    Imported plant pests are destroying many of Hawaii's unique biological resources, severely impacting agricultural productivity, and threatening the biological diversity and health, not just of Hawaii, but of the Pacific Island group. This would be a significant loss for the entire nation, both biologically and economically. A number of USDA agencies, including the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), play an extremely important role in prevention, management, and control of non-indigenous species in Hawaii.
    • USDA/APHIS Activities in Hawaii: Alien Species Prevention
    • USDA/APHIS Activities in Hawaii: Noxious Weed Initiatives

• Impact of Alien Plants on Hawai‘i's Native Biota
  This report emphasizes 86 of the more than 4,600 alien plant species that have been introduced to Hawai'i. Issues related to the biology and control of these species are discussed (by Clifford W. Smith, Leader, CPSU). (This site is sponsored by the Botany Department and the National Park Service Cooperative Park Studies Unit of the University of Hawaii at Manoa.)

• Hawaiian Alien Plant Studies
  This site provides a forum to promote public awareness and exchange of information regarding problems associated with the spread of alien plant species (weeds). Information regarding the spread of alien plant species and photographs of alien plants are available at this site. (This site is sponsored by the Botany Department and the National Park Service Cooperative Park Studies Unit of the University of Hawaii at Manoa.)

• Bishop Museum's Department of Natural Sciences and Hawaii Biological Survey
  These sites include online searchable databases for various organism groups (e.g. flowering plants)--including the state's most comprehensive source of the latest accepted taxonomic nomenclature--and, of course, lots of color pictures!

• Alien Ferns in Hawaii
  This article by Kenneth A. Wilson provides details about naturalized alien ferns in Hawaii as of 1996.

• Noxious weeds in Hawaii
  Although there's not much to this site, it does provide contact info for the Hawaii State Dept. of Agriculture.

• Plants in the Hawaiian Environment
  Plants in the Hawaiian Environment is a University of Hawaii Distance Education Web Page featuring the full text of the learning objectives and lab syllabus & handouts for Priscilla Millen's Leeward Community College Botany 130 course. Links to other Hawaii botany-related sites are also included.

• Maui Association of Landscape Professionals (MALP)
  The mission of the Maui Association of Landscape Professionals (MALP) is to exemplify leadership by offering education to its membership, the industry, and the community. The Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR) is involved with MALP to help educate its membership about the dangers of invasive alien plants to the economy, lifestyle, quality of life, and natural resources of Maui (Hawaii).

What is threatened by alien species in Hawaii?

• Native species & native ecosystems
  • Hawaii and the Pacific Islands
    This is an excellent, in-depth, and profusely illustrated article describing Hawaii, including its biogeography, natural history, and current biological status. It's a "must read" for any student of Hawaiian biology! (see website for correct citation; the "How to cite this site" link was dead as of this writing [14Dec99]; this is from the online version of the 1999 USGS publication, "Status and Trends of the Nation's Biological Resources")
  • Hawaii's Endemic Birds
    In all, at least 71 endemic species and subspecies of Hawaiian birds existed at the time of Captain Cook's arrival in the Hawaiian Islands in 1778. Now, however, 76% of the Hawaiian birds are either extinct or endangered, and several of the remaining unlisted species are showing significant population declines. Although no one factor is believed to be the single cause for the loss or decline of the Hawaiian birds, many biologists believe that habitat loss and avian diseases have had the greatest effect on native birds. In addition to direct clearing, all remaining native plant communities are further degraded by disturbance and competition from introduced plants and animals.

  • Alien Species and the Extinction Crisis of Hawaii's Invertebrates
    In this article, the author describes how the introduction of alien species into the Hawaiian Islands has resulted in an almost unimaginable decline and extinction of invertebrates, and repercussions on the ecosystems.

  • Hawaii's Endangered and Threatened Species
    Hawaii is the Endangered Species Capital of the World. With hundreds of plants and animals listed as Endangered or Threatened, there are more endangered species per square mile on these islands than any other place on the planet. The Hawaii Biological Survey (Bishop Museum) compiles information on all of these species with the assistance of various state, federal, and local agencies and works with these partners to disseminate this information, including these web pages. Please feel free to browse this site, see images of these rare and fragile species, learn about their biologies, habits, and where they occur in the Islands.

  • Restoring Endangered Species in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
    An article by Dan Taylor of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (on Hawaii, the Big Island) highlights alien species threats to some endangered species.

  • Hawaii's Forest Resources
    This website contains information about Hawaii's forests (from the perspective of the Hawaii Forest Industry Association).

  • Natural areas in Hawaii
    • Natural Area Reserves System (NARS)
      Lands in Hawaii's state Natural Area Reserves System (NARS) have the highest level of protection of any Hawaii state-owned lands.

    • Preserve the Reserve (Island Scene Online article, 07 January 2004)
      This article discusses nature reserves in Hawaii which provide havens for native plants and animals.

    • Preserves of The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii
      This site contains a list of island-by-island preserves of The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii.

    • Alien Species and the Extinction Crisis of Hawaii's Invertebrates
      Over 2500 alien arthropods are now established in Hawaii, with a continuing establishment rate of an appalling 10-20 new species per year. Established alien organisms are permanent, they propagate, and they disperse. The visual result is a homogenization of the biological landscape. The often unseen result is the disappearance of native species, including invertebrates, due to predation, competition and associated diseases of the alien organisms. In this article, the author describes how the introduction of alien species into the Hawaiian Islands has resulted in an almost unimaginable decline and extinction of invertebrates, and repercussions on the ecosystems.

    • Pu'u Kukui Watershed Management Area (West Maui)
      Maui Land & Pineapple Company owns and manages this 8,600 acre preserve on West Maui. PKWMA--the largest single private nature preserve in the State of Hawaii--is managed to protect vital watershed areas of the West Maui mountains by a team of three full-time ML&P personnel, in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii and State Natural Area Partnership.

    • Center for Plant Conservation (CPC)
      The mission of the Center for Plant Conservation is to prevent the extinction of plants native to the United States.

    • Videos on Hawaiian botanical subjects   
      Several videos are available RE: native and Polynesian-intoduced plants in Hawaii. Descriptions of the videos and availability information is available in this online document. (These videos were produced by Priscilla Millen of Leeward Community College (Hawaii).)

  • Agriculture

  • Lifestyle & Tourism

• National, regional, and international alien species information

  NOTE: Because of Hawaii's diversity of climatic zones and generally favorable situation for invasion by alien species, we should keep in mind that if a species is invasive elsewhere, that's a warning sign to us that we should probably be concerned about keeping it from becoming a problem here!
  • Halt the Invasion: State Tools for Invasive Species Management   
    The report Halting the Invasion: State Tools for Invasive Species Management was released by the Environmental Law Institute in August, 2002. The report analyzes the legal tools available at the state level to combat invasive species. Only those laws and policies approved through state legislation or agency rulemaking were addressed. The report highlights 17 invasive species tools found in state statutes and regulations. These tools are divided into five main categories: prevention, regulation, control and management, enforcement and implementation, and coordination. Each tool is defined, model state programs are described, and a chart is presented that indicates which states have the tool available. Finally, the report recommends that states evaluate which of three standards (gold, silver, or bronze) their invasive species laws and regulations currently meet. These standards can be used by states to determine how strong their existing programs are, where they have significant gaps, and where improvements can be made. An appendix is included with an analysis of state-specific data that was collected for the report. State-by-state summaries are provided online, as well as the table of contents and introduction.   A hard-copy version of the full report can be purchased online. (URLs: http://www2.eli.org/research/invasives/index.cfm; http://www2.eli.org/research/invasives/invasives_form.cfm; http://www.elistore.org/reports_detail.asp?ID=10678)

  • Harmful Non-Indigenous Species in the United States (the "OTA report")  
    This excellent publication is an excellent introduction to the impacts of harmful non-indigenous species (HNIS) in the United States. It tackles this broad subject by providing an overview of the status of harmful non-indigenous species in the United States; an analysis of the technological issues involved in dealing with HNIS; harmful NIS; and an examination of the institutional organizations in place to deal with HNIS and the problems they cause. Of particular interest to those addressing HNIS issues in Hawaii is its chapter devoted to case studies of Hawaii.    (Citation: U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Harmful Non-Indigenous Species in the United States, OTA-F-565 [Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, September 1993].)

  • invasivespecies.gov: "the [USA] nation's invasive species information system"
    Invasivespecies.gov is a comprehensive, online information system that facilitates access to and exchange of invasive species data and resources by researchers, scientists, land and resource managers, public and private sector agencies, and concerned citizens. Developed in accordance with Executive Order 13112 on Invasive Species, the site is guided by the Invasive Species Council, a federal, inter-agency, executive committee that is coordinating efforts to minimize the economic, ecological, and human impacts of invasive plant and animal species in the United States. (abstract from the introductory text of the invasivespecies.gov website 29JAN2001)

  • The Nature Conservancy's Invasive Species Initiative
    The Nature Conservancy's Invasive Species Initiative aims to control the threat to biodiversity posed by invasive non-native plants and animals through a combination of prevention, eradication, restoration, research and outreach. The Nature Conservancy believes that the threat of invasive species can be effectively abated by using these techniques and approaches. (abstract from the introductory text of TNC's Invasive Species Initiative website 05APR2003)

  • invasivespecies.nbii.gov:   
    invasivespecies.bnii.gov emphasizes invasive species info found at National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) nodes. This website contains information about identification tools, predictive models, data synergy, assessments of vulnerability to invasion, and in general the manipulation of invasive species data.

  • Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk project (PIER)
    The Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk project (PIER) website is HEAR's "sister" site, dedicated to dissemination of information about invasive/harmful alien species which are present on and/or are threats to Pacific Islands other than Hawaii, particularly Micronesia and American Samoa. (Of course, virtually any species which is a threat to any of these islands is also a threat to Hawaiian ecosystems, and vice versa!)

  • The Global Biodiversity Forum (GBF)   
    The Global Biodiversity Forum (GBF) is an open and independent mechanism to encourage analysis, dialogue and partnership on key ecological, economic, social and institutional issues related to biodiversity. GBF was founded in 1993 by IUCN, WRI, UNEP, and ACTS and includes a number of other institutions as its convenors. GBF contributes to the further development and implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Ramsar Convention, the Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Combatting Desertification and other biodiversity-related conventions at the local, national, regional and international levels.

  • Aquatic, Wetland and Invasive Plant Information Retrieval System (APIRS)
    After 20 years of assiduous, if underfunded, work, the APIRS database now includes more than 50,000 citations, and continues to be the largest free database of its kind in the world. Beginning as a mainframe, punch-card database of a few hundred references about water hyacinths, the APIRS database now contains citation and keyword records for scientific articles and reports about uncounted species of aquatic, wetland and invasive plants. The database has been used many thousands of times by researchers, government agencies, companies, teachers, students and private groups and individuals. Users can ask us to query the database for them and send them the results, or users can access the database themselves, online. The database originally was meant to be a source of information for "aquatic weed" workers in developing countries, and was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development for that purpose. It quickly became a source of information for workers in Florida as well, gaining the support of the then Bureau of Aquatic Plant Management of the Florida Department of Natural Resources (now the Bureau of Invasive Plant Management of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection).

  • "The Weed List"
    "The Weed List" (from Agriculture Western Australia [AgWest]). This is the famous "Rod Randall list". This list of weeds (presented in several formats) needs no introduction to long-time "weed folks". For those unfamiliar with Rod's work, let it suffice to say that this is an amazing compilation of information about weeds from around the world along with information about their weediness as assessed by Rod via a systematic review of information about each listed species.

  • Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas
    Weeds Gone Wild: Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Areas is an internet-based project of the Native Plant Conservation Initiative's Alien Plant Working Group, providing information for the general public, land managers, and others on the serious threat and impacts of invasive alien (exotic) plants to the native flora, fauna, and natural ecosystems of the United States. This site provides a compiled national list of invasive plants infesting natural areas throughout the U.S., background on the problem and what can be done to help, links to selected organizations for more information, and illustrated fact sheets with plant descriptions, native range, distribution and habitat in the U.S., management options, alternative native plants and links to plant control experts.

  • Global Plant & Pest Information System (GPPIS)
    FAO created the first electronic, interactive, multimedia compendium of plant protection information in 1987. The current Global Plant & Pest Information System (GPPIS), is an Internet/WWW based version of FAO's earlier work. GPPIS is a global implementation and extension of the Pacific Plant Protection Information System (PPPIS) developed by FAO and the South Pacific Commission (SPC). GPPIS replaces PPPIS and fulfills FAO's constitutional mandate in the area of nutrition, food and agriculture. GPPIS is a learning system as well as a system for learning. It is not a single, one-time, printed product that requires regular reprinting of new editions. Instead, it establishes a set of standard methods and protocols for data collection and maintenance under password-protection. This creates a dynamic framework for collective knowledge processing that can be implemented in a variety of cross-platform environments on the Internet, in local Intranets and as a stand-alone database on CD-ROM. See the description of CD-ROM issues in the Resource window. GPPIS data are in the public domain because this content is created and maintained by the community of individuals who choose to participate in the evolution of GPPIS. Data contribution by sponsors and supporters is voluntary and motivated by the realization that individual action is the best way to motivate others similarly to share their individual expertise.

  • USDA/APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine: Noxious Weeds Home Page
    As part of our mission to protect the health of American agriculture, APHIS has a major responsibility in preventing the spread of non-indigenous weeds into and through the United States. We are committed to using modern technologies to exclude, delimit. suppress, and eradicate non-indigenous weeds from the United States. These technologies will be appropriately applied and monitored to achieve environmentally sound and desirable management of invasive plants. In carrying out our mission and vision, we welcome input, cooperation, and coordination from other Federal agencies, States, counties and local governments, and the private sector. We hope that this Home Page will serve as a focal point for accessing information about noxious weeds and their control and eradication.
    • USDA/APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine: Noxious Weeds Home Page
      
    • USDA/APHIS Risk Assessment for Noxious Weeds

  • CERES: Invasive Species
    This is a list of excellent links to numerous invasive species websites.

  • The Nature Conservancy's Wildland Weeds Management & Research Program
    This site includes links to TNC's full-text Element Stewardship Abstracts (Exotic Pest Plants) (including control methods, etc.), TNC's exotic pest plant resources page, and other sites.

  • Center of Excellence for Invasion Biology (South Africa)   
    The Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology (CIB) was launched in 2004 at the University of Stellenbosch, in partnership with a number of academic institutes. It is a national initiative funded as a Centre of Excellence by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation. It has its physical home at the University of Stellenbosch, but comprises a network of researchers throughout South Africa. The vision of CIB is to provide the scientific understanding required to reduce the rate and impact of biological invasions to improve the quality of life of all South Africans.

  • Weed Science Society of Victoria
    This site highlights news and views on weeds in Victoria and Australia, and includes links to such topics as weed problems, conferences and meetings, books and journals, Society objectives and membership, and links to other weed sites and news groups.

  • Pacific Plant Protection Information System (PPIS)
    The Pacific Plant Protection Information System is a multimedia collection of plant protection information maintained at various institutions in the Pacific. PPPIS includes: pest records wherein the geographical distribution, biology, control methods and other relevant information about the pest are recorded; records describing food plants of the Pacific whereon these pests occur; data about pesticides in use in the Pacific, including current information about formulation, safe application methods and common- and trade-names; Pacific literature on plant protection (including references to journal publications, articles, reports and books); information about the range of non-chemical control methods and cultural practices currently in use in the Pacific; existing publications containing pest information (SPC plant quarantine leaflets, SPC pest advisory leaflets, the complete text of a variety of books on pest management and biological control published in the region); a glossary of plant protection terms describing the official glossary of plant quarantine terms; and information about institutions and research organisations active in plant protection in the region.

  • Biocontrol Agent Reporting System (BARS)
    BARS is being developed as a collaborative project between the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the International Organization for Biological Control of Noxious Animals and Plants (IOBC) and the South African Plant Protection Research Institute (PPRI). The establishment of BARS will create an international forum and service to document information about biological control agents, especially their status in research programmes, their progress in field trials and results from post-release monitoring. This reporting service will assist participating scientists and institutions to implement the provisions of the FAO International Code of Conduct for the Import and Export of Exotic Biological Control Agents ("The Code"). It will also be a dynamic, up-to-date source of information about potential biological control agents with ready access to other scientists working on biocontrol agents identified as having potential. It is anticipated that a BARS prototype will be ready for limited testing in April 1998. Until then, information accumulated about biocontrol agents can be sent to a contact designated at the BARS website.

  • Nonindigenous Aquatic and Selected Terrestrial Species of Florida: Status, Pathway and Time of Introduction, Present Distribution, and Significant Ecological and Economic Effects
    Published on the Internet, March 1996, by the University of Florida, Center for Aquatic Plants

  • Species Abstracts of Highly Disruptive Exotic Plants from the USGS/BRD Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

  • Biological Pollution and Exotic Plants: information from the California Native Plant Society

  • California Exotic Pest Plant Council (CalEPPC) - includes list of "Exotic Plants of Greatest Ecological Concern," links to exotic plant resources, and weed identification pictures.

  • California Exotic Pest Plant Council's gopher site

  • Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) - includes invasive plant list, newsletters, exotic plant control guide, Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius [Anacardiaceae]) management plan, and other links.

  • Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council (TN-EPPC) - includes list of "Invasive Exotic Pest Plants in Tennessee," the "Tennessee Exotic Plant Management Manual," herbicide selection & use information, and back-issues of TN-EPPC newsletters.

  • Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds
    The FICMNEW was established under an MOU signed by 17 Federal Agencies and is responsible for coordinating a Federal Government approach for the management of weeds. This includes providing information about agency needs and making recommendations to Departmental leadership on research, technology transfer, and management actions. The Federal Agencies are cooperating to achieve the advancement of knowledge and skills, good land stewardship practices and public awareness of noxious weed issues and management.

  • Element Stewardship Abstracts for Exotic Pest Plants - Produced by The Nature Conservancy, these "element stewardship abstracts" on exotic pest plants are comprehensive reports detailing knowledge of the biology, ecology, control and management of invasive species.

• Other links

  • E / The Environmental Magazine
    E / The Environmental Magazine covers a wide range of issues--from recycling to rainforests, and from the personal to the political--always with a 'what you can do' emphasis.

  • The National Vegetation Classification System
    This two-volume publication presents the first standardized classification of the terrestrial ecological communities of the United States ever developed at a scale fine enough to be used in making local, site-specific conservation decisions. It is a significant tool for understanding U.S. ecological systems and for applying this knowledge to protect biological diversity. The result of over a decade of work by The Nature Conservancy's Ecology Team, as well as scientists throughout the Natural Heritage Network and in other organizations, the classification is used for planning and action across the Conservancy's conservation programs. The Federal Geographic Data Committee broadened the impact of the classification system in 1997, when it endorsed it as the standard approach to be used by all federal agencies.

  • PLANTS Database Project, USDA NRCS
    PLANTS provides a single source of standardized information about plants. PLANTS provides standardized plant names, symbols and other plant attribute information...PLANTS contains a list of the plants known to occur as native or naturalized within the boundaries of the United States, including its territories. This currently encompasses approximately 45,000 individual taxon, plus synonyms. These taxa include vascular and nonvascular plants. ..PLANTS is providing the plant portion of the taxonomic backbone within the ITIS system. ITIS will provide a taxonomic backbone encompassing the biota of the United States to US Federal agencies...The vascular plant information in PLANTS was developed and is being maintained in cooperation with the Biota of North America Program, North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina under the direction of John Kartesz, plus the input of over 700 botanists familiar with the North American flora...PLANTS works to implement the botanical data standards put forth by the following organizations: International Union for Biological Science-Taxonomic Databases Working Group, International Association for Plant Taxonomy, International Botanical Congress (current International Code of Botanical Nomenclature and its revisions), and International Organization for Plant Information. For further information see the page on Standards and TDWG...The geographical (country, state, and county) data, Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) codes, have been acquired electronically directly from the US Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology. Photographs: The USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center is currently working to scan plant photographs for the PLANTS Photo Gallery.

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