Introduced Species Summary Project
Columbia University
Welcome to the Project Homepage


Overall Project Goal: To provide information that would help a natural resources manager or concerned citizen to understand the basic biology of a non-native species and whether and how respond to its arrival. Most of the species have already become common in at least some areas of the Eastern United States. This project is part of the graduate-level Invasion Biology course and a Certificate in Conservation Biology course in Introduction to Ecology , both of which are offered by Dr. James A. Danoff-Burg at the Center for Environmental Research and Conservation , Columbia University .


95 Species included in the Project thus far:
 
Amphibians / Reptiles:

Boiga irregularis , Brown tree snake
Bufo marinus, Giant Marine Toad
Dendrobates auratus , Green and Black Poison Dart Frog

Rana catesbeiana, North American Bullfrog
Rana Trachemys scripta elegans, Red-eared Slider

Xenopus laevis , African Clawed Frog

Mammals:

Canis lupus dingo, The Dingo
Dasypus novemcinctus, Nine-Banded Armadillo
Felis catus, Domestic Cat
Herpestes auropunctatus , Small Indian Mongoose
Homo sapiens sapiens, Humans
Macaca fascicularis, Crab-Eating Macaque
Myocastor coypus , Nutria or Coypu and Nutria or Coypu
Mus musculus, House Mouse
Oryctolagus cuniculus, European Rabbit
Rattus norvegicus, Norway Rat
Sciurus carolinensis , Grey Squirrel
Vulpes vulpes , European Red Fox  
Birds:

Cygnus olor, Mute Swans
Molothrus ater , Brown-Headed Cowbird

Myiopsitta monachus , Monk Parakeet
Passer domesticus , European House Sparrow
Sturnus vulgaris , European Starling
Zenaida asiatica, White-Winged Dove 

Invertebrates, non-Insect:

Acanthaster planci, Crown of Thorns Starfish
Achatina fulica, Giant (East) African Snail
Carcinus maenas , Green Crab

Didemnum sp., Sea Squirt
Driessena polymorpha , Zebra Mussel
Euglandina rosea, Rosy Wolfsnail
Littorina littorea, Common Periwinkle
Littorina saxatilis
, Rough Periwinkle
Lumbricus rubellus, European Earthworm
Pomacea canaliculata , Golden Apple Snail
Varroa destructor, Varroa Mite

Fish:

Alosa pseudoharengus,  Alewife
Channa argus, Northern Snakehead
Clarius batrachus, Walking Catfish
Gymnocephalus cernuus, Eurasian Ruffe

Lates niloticus, Nile Perch
Monopterus albus , Rice Eel or Asian Swamp Eel

Neogobius melanostomus , Round Goby
Oncorhynchus mykiss, Rainbow Trout
Petromyzon marinus , Sea Lamprey

Pterois volitans, Lionfish
Salmo salar, Atlantic Salmon  
Salmo trutta, Brown Trout
 

Insects:

Adelges tsugae,
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

Agrilus planipennis, Emerald Ash Borer
Anoplolepis gracilipes, Yellow Crazy Ant
Anoplophora glabripennis, Asian Longhorned Beetle
Apis mellifera scutellata, Africanized Honey Bee

Harmonia axyridis , Asian Ladybird Beetle
Homalodisca coagulata , Glassywinged Sharpshooter
Linepithema humile, Argentine Ant
Lymantria dispar
, European Gypsy Moth

Wasmannia auropunctata , Little Fire Ant
Algae

Caulerpa taxifolia, Killer Algae
Codium fragile,
Dead Man's Fingers

Fungi

Cryphonectria parasitica, Chestnut Blight Fungus
Maxobolus cerebralis, Whirling Disease
Phytophthora ramorum, Sudden Oak Death

Bacteria

Yersinia pestis, Bubonic Plague

Viruses

West Nile Virus


Plants:

Acer platanoides, Norway Maple and Norway Maple
Ailanthus altissima, Tree of Heaven

Alliaria petiolata , Garlic Mustard
Berberis thunbergii, Japanese Barberry
Bromus tectorum, Cheatgrass
Celastrus orbiculatus,
Oriental Bittersweet
Centaurea maculosa,
Spotted Knapweed

Cirsium arvense, Canada thistle
Cytisus scoparius, Scotch Broom
Eichhorinia crassipes, Water Hyacinth

Elaeagnus angustifolia , Russian Olive
Eucalyptus globulus, Tasmanian Blue Gum

Hydrilla verticillata, Hydrilla
Lonicera japonica,
Japanese honeysuckle
Lythrum salicaria
, Purple Loosestrife

Melaleuca quinquenervia , Melaleuca
Miconia calvescens , Velvet Tree or Miconia
Microstegium vimineum, Japanese Stilt Grass
Mikania micrantha,
Bittervine
Nymphaea odorata, American Waterlily
Phragmites australis , Common Reed and Common Reed

Polygonum cuspidatum, Japanese Knotweed
Polygonum perfoliatum , Mile-A-Minute Weed

Pueraria montana , Kudzu
Rhamnus cathartica, Common buckthorn
Rosa multiflora, Multiflora Rose

Salsola tragus, Tumbleweed
Schinus terebinthifolius , Brazilian Peppertree or Christmasberry

Tamarix ramosissima , Saltcedar
Taraxacum officinale, Dandelion
Trapa natans, Water Chestnut



General Format: All reports are written in HTML code using Netscape Composer (available here ) and undergo two  iterations of review and revisions before completion.  Eventually, those that meet the requirements are put online to be of use to the public and scientific establishments. Finished reports should be thorough and serve as a significant resource. To this end, they are at least 1000 words in length.

Specific Format: All of the below subjects are treated in each of the species treatments. Format that students follow is available here .

Common Name:
Scientific Name:
Classification: Including the following - Phylum or Division, Class, Order, Family, and other lower levels as appropriate.
Identification:
Original Distribution:
Current Distribution:
Site and Date of Introduction:
Mode(s) of Introduction:
Reason(s) Why it has Become Established:
Ecological Role:
Benefit(s):
Threat(s):
Control Level Diagnosis: "Highest Priority", "Medium Priority", "Minimal Priority", "Should not be Controlled"
Control Method:
Project Editor and Page Author: James Danoff-Burg
Project last updated - 10 Feb 03