Definitions
- Alien species: with respect to a particular ecosystem, any species, including its seeds, eggs, spores, or other biological material capable of propagating that species, that is not native to that ecosystem.
- Control: as appropriate, eradicating, suppressing, reducing, or managing invasive species populations, preventing spread of invasive species from areas where they are present, and taking steps such as restoration of native species and habitats to reduce the effects of invasive species and to prevent further invasions.
- Ecosystem: the complex of a community of organisms and its environment.
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Introduction: the intentional or unintentional escape, release, dissemination, or placement of a species into an ecosystem as a result of human activity.
- Invasive species: an alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.
- Native species: with respect to a particular ecosystem, a species that, other than as a result of an introduction, historically occurred or currently occurs in that ecosystem.
- Species: a group of organisms all of which have a high degree of physical and genetic similarity, generally interbreed only among themselves, and show persistent differences from members of allied groups of organisms.
The above definitions are in accordance with those of the USDA National Invasive Species Information Center