Invasive Plants in Arizona's Forests and Woodlands

Long-term variations in climate can create multi-decade wet or dry periods that can promote large-scale, episodes of recruitment of certain plant species (wet periods) or large-scale mortality (dry periods). Invasive species are non-native (exotic) species whose introduction is likely to cause environmental or economical damage, or to harm human health. As climate variability increases, each species within an
ecological community will respond individually. There is a critical need for the public to be aware of the
issues surrounding invasive species on the landscape, and the ecological consequences of the presence of invasive species to habitats in Arizona and the Southwest.