Invasive Species

in Our Watershed

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to conserve the land and waters on which all
life depends.

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 Nature’s Bullies!
 Drives out native species:
 Plants
 Trees
 Vines
 Other Species
▪ Birds
▪ Insects

State-Endangered American Bittern

So let’s explore a little about why invasive species are so bad. Phramites australis
transforms a wetland into a monoculture where only that species dominates. The
shore birds that formerly nested in those wetlands can no longer do so.
HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU LIVED IN A HOUSE WHERE EVERY ROOM
LOOKED THE SAME AND THERE WAS ONLY ONE KIND OF FOOD TO EAT DAY
AFTER DAY?

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“Vegetation
composed
of a single
species.”

Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff,

University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org

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 Biodiversity is
the “life support
system for the
planet.”

Doug Tallamy

It is biodiversity that generates oxygen and clean water; that creates topsoil out of
rock and buffers extreme weather events like droughts and floods; and that recycles
the mountains of garbage we create every day.

Losses to biodiversity are a clear sign that our

own life-support systems are failing. The
ecosystems that support us - that determine the
carrying capacity of our Earth and our local
spaces - are run by biodiversity. It is biodiversity
that generates oxygen and clean water, creates
topsoil out of rock, buffers extreme weather
events like droughts and floods, pollinates our
crops, and recycles the mountains of garbage
we create every day.

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According to Paul and Anne Erlich way back in 1981, ecosystems can be likened to
airplane in flight. If just a few rivets are lost on an airplane, it can still fly. But if
enough rivets are lost …

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 30% of Indiana’s
rare and
endangered
species.
 Globally rare dune
and swale habitat.
 Globally
threatened oak
savanna habitat.

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 IN Dunes National Lakeshore
5th Most Biodiverse National Park.

The biodiversity of the Indiana Dunes is slipping away, partly due to invasive
species.

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 Bradford (Callery) Pear

Native Red Oak

By planting Bradford and other ornamental pear trees, we are creating food deserts
for baby birds. Ornamental pears only have several caterpillars. Native trees, like
red oak, have hundreds. Caterpillars are the most nutritious foods for baby birds.
That is another reason birds on the decline – because nonnative trees don’t host
caterpillars like native trees can.

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9
 Japanese Knotweed

Japanese knotweed can grown through concrete. In the United Kingdom you can’t
sell your home if this species is in the garden.

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  On our shoes.
 By wildlife, like deer
and birds.
 By waterways and
wind.
 By vehicle tires.
 On our
boats/kayaks.

BUT mostly because PHOTO CREDIT: © Kent Mason

WE PLANT THEM.

Houndstongue: leaf looks like a houndstongue. Barbed seeds adhere to deer in

Miller Woods and are spreading it.

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  How quickly can it
spread?
 What impacts does it
have on the ecosystem?
 How difficult is it to
control?
 How big is the
infestation in your area?

This is good to keep in mind because it’s easy to get overwhelmed by invasive
species. The Indiana Invasive Species Plant Advisory Committee has done this
research on many species and is a good resource to reference.
https://www.entm.purdue.edu/iisc/invasiveplants.php

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  Prevention
 Early Detection
/Rapid Response
 Eradication
 Control and
Contain
 Adaptive
management

SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT INVASIVE SPECIES?

Prevention: cleaning gear and boots. Do not plant invasive species. Buy and plant
native species. 90 percent are from something We planted.
Early Detection/Rapid Response
Eradication – complete removal
Control and contain – from a specified area. Easier with certain species than
others.
Adaptive management: keep trying different things

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 Flower  Bark

 Foliage  Stem

 Leaf Attachment  Seed

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 Steven Katovich, USDA
Forest Service,
Bugwood.org

1st Year Rosettes

Richard Gardner, Bugwood.org

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The term “ allelopathy ” refers to chemically mediated inter-ference between
plants, whereby secondary compounds pro-duced by one species directly or
indirectly (through affecting soil biota) suppress the growth and fi tness of
other species (Inderjit and del Moral, 1997). The “ novel weapons hypothesis ” (
Callaway and Ridenour, 2004 ) proposes that invasive plants may have
particularly strong allelopathic effects because the plants in the introduced
range did not coevolve with the invader and are thus more susceptible to its
allelopathic substances than the plants in its native range.

Alliaria petiolata has been shown to inhibit plant growth and mycorrizal fungi. This
effect is most likely due to secondary metabolities exudated by this plant.
Glucosinolates, alliarinosides, flavoinoid glycosides and cyanide all have been
shown to be part of the suite of chemicals produced by this plant, with
glucosinolates being more present in belowground tissues [17, 26, 27]. Interestingly,
compounds from glucosinolates predominately degrade to the secondary
metabolites, allyl isothiocyanate and benzl isothiocyanate, both shown to be
inhibitory to fungi [28].

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 Amur, Morrow, and Tartarian
honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.)

Lonicera x bella Zabel (Bell's honeysuckle), L. morrowii Gray (Morrow's

honeysuckle), L. tartarica L. (Tartarian honeysuckle), L. xylosteum L. (Dwarf
honeysuckle). Lonicera spp. (Native bush honeysuckles) One way to differentiate
between the invasive bush honeysuckles and the

Can get 10’ tall.

Leaves come on earlier and stay on longer.

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 Early leaf out , late
leaf drop

Diervilla:
Diminutive
Orange Pink Inner Bark
Yellow green flower turns pink or orange

Twigs of non-native honeysuckles all have hollow stems, while the stems of the
native ones are solid.

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  Early leaf-emergence.
 Prolific seed-producer.
 Alternate, pinnately
compound leaves.
 13-40 leaflets.
 Can grow 80’ high.
 Resembles sumac.
 Distinguished by
glandular teeth bumps
at base of leaflet.

Glands at base of leaf help differentiate if from something like sumac.

Able to germinate and grow in a wide variety of soil and site conditions

First introduced to the United States as an exotic, fast growing, ornamental shade
tree in Philadelphia, PA in 1784. Weedy foreign plants were not viewed by most
people as being pest-like as they are now.

Large alternate, pinnately compound lanceoate leaves containing 13 to 40 or more

leaflets; individual leaves (leaflets) are three to five inches long and one to two
inches wide - See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/05/invasive-plants/tree-
of-heaven-an-exotic-invasive-plant-fact-sheet/#sthash.mtnqV98W.dpuf

Some trees have been reported to produce more than 325,000 seeds in one year
(Fryer, 2010

Tree-of-heaven schizocarps contain one seed and therefore can be effectively

carried by wind currents up to 300 feet

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Leaves emerge very early in the spring before most native plants, and this species
holds onto its leaves a little longer in the fall than most native plants.

Looks similar to staghorn sumac.

toxic compounds from leaf decomposition (i.e. toxic leaf leachate) exhibit allelopathic
effects that help tree-of-heaven outcompete native plant associates in forest
succession as well as in the less competitive situations of the built environment
(Miller, 1990; Fryer, 2010).

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 Oriental Bittersweet Native American Bittersweet

VS.

Oriental bittersweet berries are orange with yellow casings, clustered along stems,
while American bittersweet berries are clustered at the end of the stem and have
orange casings..

OB has alternate, glossy leaves with finely toothed margins.

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 Euonymus alatus,
burning bush
 Miscanthus sinensis,
Chinese silver grass,
maidengrass
 Artemisia vulgaris,
mugwort, wormwood
 Vinca minor, Vinca,
Myrtle
 Several 100 more…

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 Aquatic Grass Species

Phragmites is a tall, perennial

grass that can grow to over 15 feet
in height. In North America, both
native Phragmites (Phragmites
australis americanus Saltonstall, P.M.
Peterson & Soreng) and introduced
subspecies occur.

Grows in wetlands, along

shorelines, and ditches

 Non-native forms of Phragmites

are vigorous growing
plants that once introducedcan
establish and take over a
wetland, becoming a monoculture
within several years.

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Cattails vary in height, with the T. latifolia, broadleaf cattail
hybrids tending to be shorterthan
T. X glauca, hybrid
the hybrids. All species are perennial
reeds that can grow to over 15 feet in
height. In North America, three
species occur plus the hybrid, T.
latifolia, T. angustifolia, and T.
domingensis..
Grows in wetlands, along
T. angustifolia, narrowleaf cattail
shorelines, and ditches
Typha hybrids in the Midwest result
from a cross of T. latifolia and
T. angustifolia. Once introduced
hybrids can establish and take over a
wetland, becoming a monoculture
within several years.

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Perennial coarse cool season grass that
grows 2 - 9' high. It had been especially
selected for its vigor, and is one of the
first to sprout in spring. Erect hairless
stems.

Flowers are densely clustered single

florets, green to purple changing to
beige over time,blooms May to mid-
June.

Grows in wet meadows, shallow

water, and ditches.

Hard to eradicate with one herbicide

treatment because of the long rhizomes
and rapid seed release.

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Aquatic perennial plant with
whorled leaves that are finely
divided. It is often confused
with nativemilfoils. The tip of
the plant is often red in the
summer. Flowers are whorled
on a spike.

Frequently branchesnear the

surface of the water and forms
dense mats that make
recreation difficult.

Found in lakes and streams,

soft sediment, shallow and
deep water.

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 Eradication Eradication Eradication unlikely,
simple feasible intense effort required

Local control and

management only

Public
awareness
typically begins

Control Costs
Acres Infested

Introduction

Detection

Species Scattered Numerous Damage to Habitat/Ecosystem

absent locations locations

Time

This is a really important graph because it shows a couple of things and why this job
is SO critical.

1. As more time goes by, more areas become infested, and more management
resources are needed.
2. We are trying to move back when things are first detected. More eyes on the
ground at MANAGED NATURAL AREAS

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  Aquatics:  Shrubs
 Brittleleaf Naiad  Autumn/Russian Olives
 Flowering Rush  Bristly Locus/Rose Acacia
 Hydrilla and similar-looking Brazilian  Common/Glossy Buckthorn
Egeria
 Forbs  Trees
 Giant Hogweed  Amur Cork Tree
 Japanese Knotweed  Callery Pear (Bradford/Korean, etc.
 Lesser Celandine
 Sericea Lespedeza  Vines
 Grasses  Black & Pale Swallow-worts
 Chinese Silvergrass  Kudzu
 Japanese Stilt Grass  Mile-a-Minute Weed
 Rough Mannagrass/Reed
Mannagrass Yellow denotes focusing on today.

Indiana Coastal Cooperative Weed Management Area members came up with this
list. It’s not perfect, by any means, but was the start of instilling an early detection
culture in the area.

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 Easily confused with
common bulrush and other
species when not
flowering.
 Grows in emergent zones,
shorelines, riparian areas
and deeper water, fully
submerged.
 Originally sold for water
gardens.
 Found in Chicago western
suburbs.

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  Known to grow through
concrete and damage
buildings, bridges and
roads!
 Rapidly colonizes.
 Just a small piece of the
root broken off can grow a
new plant.

F. japonica has been shown to affect. native plant species through different
mechanisms such as allelopathy.

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  Loss of plant
communities and
young tree growth.
 Increased stream
temperature.
 Less soil stability.
 Waterways are
pathways for invasion.

This photo was taken at Deep River County Park in May 2019. One of the largest
patches ever seen in a riparian area. Not good for the waterway!

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 Grass
Microstegium
vimineum
Japanese stilt grass
(Introduced as Packing Material)

The first invasion of this in the area was found in Lake County this past year. It can
be easily spread on hiking and hunting boots. Very bad in Brown County and
southern Indiana and has taken over the forest floor.

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 Can reach up to 20’ high.
 Silvery scales on leaves.
 Thorns (less likely on
Autumn)
 Fruits
 Autumn: pink to bright red.
 Yellow to orange.
 Birds eat and spread them.
Autumn
 Autumn flowers are
whitish. Russian are
yellow.
 Autumn is more common;
Russian has been reported
less often. Russian

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1. Hyrbidized pears planted near each other – different hybrids.
2. Cross-pollination produces callery pear.
3. Fruits that are NOT STERILE are produced by the callery pear.
4. Pretty soon we begin to see invasions along the edges and then into natural
areas and wood lots.

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  Flowering Dogwood
 Redbud
 Pagoda Dogwood
 Serviceberry

The serviceberry red fruits have a high fat content, therefore they are
attractive and more healthful to songbirds

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 Vine
Black Swallow-wort Species Pale Swallow-wort
Vincetoxicum nigrum Vincetoxicum rossicum

Leaves dark green, flowers dark Leaves medium green, flowers

purple, BLOOMS JUNE-JULY pink to reddish, peduncles >2cm
peduncles <2 cm

Report it if you find it to www.eddmaps.org. The first Indiana invasion was found
just outside of Ogden Dunes five years ago. Now more are being found. This
species has a double whammy: It is in the milkweed family and monarch butterflies
lay their eggs on it. When the caterpillars hatch and eat it – THEY ALL DIE! It also
drives out native plant species.

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 Spotted Lantern Fly
Feeds on Tree of
Heaven late-summer!

They will eat

and damage
about 70
different plants.

If you find it contact IDNR right away!

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What Can You do?

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 Does not include callery pear YET!
 Effective as of April 18.
 Species on list are
prohibited April 18,
2020:
 For sale
 Distribution
 Barter
 Gift
 Exchange
 transport
 Introduction

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  More eyes on the
ground.
 More data allows us
to eradicate ED
species -- before
they gain a foothold.
 More data means
land manager see
what’s headed their
way.
 Helps get species out
of the trade.

We don’t always know what to be looking out for.

More data helps justify getting plants out of the trade.

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 COMPUTER OR SMART PHONE

EDDMapS.org/indiana Great Lakes Early Detection Network

(GLEDN) app
 Useful if you don’t have a
 Good to report in the field
smart phone
 More detail possible in reports

EDDMapS Database
Queue To Be Verified

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 A large (~100 MB) but very
simple app to use.
 Fewer fields to fill out, but the
usual smartphone issues (e.g.
difficult to see screen in sunlight,
uses data plan, etc.)
 Reports go to a queue; you
upload the reports from the
queue to the EDDMapS
database when you are ready.

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 90 percent of
verification can be
done through photos.
 1 of the whole plant.
 2-3 identifying
characteristics.
 1 of the site in which
you found it.

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• Set up a profile in EDDMaps
and then start reporting!
• Log into GLEDN using
EDDMaps login.
• Offer to adopt a riparian
area or public access site!

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  Evaluate species in your
watershed and think about
vectors/pathways for
invasive species spread.
 Clean your boots and
vessels.
 Don’t intentionally plant
invasive species.
 Volunteer to control
species in the National
Park.
 Report early detection
species on
www.eddmaps.org and/or
using GLEDN app.

The goal is to not try to kill everything – just those things that really matter to wildlife
and the landscape as a whole.

The photo is of Lesser Celandine taken in April 2018 along Thorn Creek in
Glenwood, IL. That is not grass!

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 Contact Info:
Susan MiHalo
219-981-9183
smihalo@tnc.org
www.nature.org

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