According to the Wikipedia Encyclopedia, Invasive Species are “subsets of species defined as introduced species or non-indigenous species.” These species could alter the way of life for surrounding native plants and affect the natural functions of our ecosystem as well as human health. Invasive species are brought upon our environment by human actions, whereas, they would not have grown naturally on their own. Eventually these plants start to breed in the new location without the help of humans and begin to cause problems for their surrounding environment. Invasive species are now known and recognized as the second greatest threat to global biodiversity. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasive_species)

A weed is any plant, native or exotic, whose presence is undesirable to people in a particular time or place. An invasive plant is an exotic plant that can produce viable offspring in large numbers and has the ability to establish and spread in natural areas.

(Definitions found in the “Invasive Plants of Alaska” book prepared by the Alaska Exotic Plant Information Clearinghouse.)

Approximately 80% of endangered species plants suffer losses from competition with invasive species. With the decrease of certain native plants, animals that rely upon them are being endangered.