Invasive species are plants or animals that are not native to the ecosystem and cause or will likely cause economic harm, environmental harm, and/or harm to health. Sometimes, invasive species are introduced to an ecosystem intentionally, and other times the introduction is accidental. Regardless of how the invasive species were introduced, they can impact ecosystem processes once in the new ecosystem location.

Invasive species can out-compete native species, displacing native plants and animals and using their food or nutrient sources, spreading rapidly in areas without natural predators. In Michigan, there are hundreds of terrestrial and aquatic invasive species. Prevention to keep invasive species out is the first line of defense. It can be hard to rid an ecosystem of invasive species once established. However, there are projects students can participate in to help control invasive species populations, such as pulling invasive plants.

Resources:

• A Field Identification Guide to Invasive Plants in Michigan's Natural Communities: A resource for public land managers, land stewards, and volunteers engaged in conserving & restoring Michigan's native plant & animal communities
• Michigan Invasive Species Watch List: An invasive species watch list to identify immediate or potential threats to Michigan
• Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) Best Control Practice Guides: The Best Control Practice Guides include information on the origin and impacts of each species, descriptions, and characteristics that can be used to distinguish them from similar species.
• Michigan Sea Grant Invasive Species: An overview of the aquatic invasive species found in the Great Lakes region
• Midwest Invasive Plant Network: The Midwest Invasive Plant List identifies all the plant species regulated through state law and/or listed as invasive with plant identification traits, photos, and distribution maps
• Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN): Invasive species fact sheets
• MISIN Report Occurrences: Students can contribute their data to the map about where they found certain invasive species
• National Invasive Species Information Center: Contains information on invasive plants, their history, and methods of invasion into the U.S.
• University of Michigan Herbarium: Includes information about vascular plants known to occur outside of cultivation, including distribution maps, identification keys, species occurrence, and specimens documented

• Remove invasive plants
• Plant native plants
• Implement a community engagement campaign