Short essay on species invasion, its a biology thing.

Invasive Species

Any species that is not native to an area is considered to be an invasive species. In Georgia there are many different invasive species that have become pest and threaten indigenous species. This essay will focus on identifying, controlling, and examining the biology of a few chosen invasive species. Of the three species that will be covered two will be plants, while the other shall be from the animal kingdom.

One of the most notorious non-indigenous species in Georgia is Kudzu (Pueraria lobata). Kudzu is a vine-like perennial of the legume family (DCR). It has dark green leaves and vines, starchy fibrous roots, elongated purple flowers, and is very aggressive. Kudzu can be most easily identified by the manner in which it grows ( although Kudzu is an angiosperm it rarely flowers and thus it usually appears as a dense stand of green leafy vegatation).

Kudzu on trees in Atlanta, Georgia, USA Location: ...

Kudzu

English: A kudzu basket made in the Applachian Ori...

"Kudzu vines are hairy beneath, often tri-lobed, and in groups of three on the vine" (DCR). Kudzu will grow on and over anything in its path, growing up to a foot a day at the peak of its growing season, which is why it's such a successful species. Kudzu, a native of Japan, was first brought to the US at the beginning of the 20th century (DCR). It was imported for use as a "soil stabilizer, animal fodder, and ornamental vine" (DCR). By the early 1950s Kudzu had become a pest. This is due mainly to the lack of any disease or insect controls, and the vine's prolific nature.

Although Kudzu is very much a nuisance and difficult to control, control methods have been established. One method is the persistent eradication of all roots. This is not a very easy task as Kudzu may have root systems up to 12...