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A non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range. Non-native species which are harmful to a local ecosystem are called invasive species. There are approximately 50 thousand non-native species in the U.S. Approximately 4.3 thousand are considered invasive species.
In addition, invasive species often out-compete and replace native species decreasing native species biodiversity and, in some cases, lead to the extinction of endangered native plant species (Schmitz, D.C.). In the United States alone there are nearly 1000 plant species listed as either threatened or endangered, and of these, roughly 40 percent are considered at risk from invasive species due to direct contact, such as predation or indirect influences like competition.
Control of invasive species can be costly, difficult, and time consuming. Billions of dollars have been spent in the United States over the past decade to prevent damage from invasive plants (Pimentel, D).
