Introduced species, as a biological process, refers to the human-mediated translocation and establishment of organisms outside their native geographic ranges, thereby altering biotic community composition and ecosystem dynamics. This process involves transport (intentional or accidental), release or escape, survival, and reproduction in the recipient environment, often bypassing natural dispersal barriers. Once established, introduced species may undergo rapid ecological and evolutionary responses, including niche shifts, adaptation to novel conditions, and altered interaction networks (e.g., predation, competition, mutualism). The process of species introduction can drive changes in community structure, energy flow, and biogeochemical cycles, and in some cases leads to biological invasions with significant impacts on native biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
In early January, authorities from South Australia's Department of Primary Industries took to the streets of Adelaide on the hunt for a suspicious individual.
Plants & Animals
Feb 6, 2026
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Josh Courville has harvested crawfish his whole life, but these days, he's finding a less welcome catch in some of the fields he manages in southern Louisiana.
Agriculture
Feb 6, 2026
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California wildlife officials have approved a plan to eradicate Catalina Island's entire deer population as part of a broader effort to restore the island ecosystem, sparking fierce opposition from an unusual coalition of ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 4, 2026
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Spotted lanternflies are adapting to the pressures of city life such as heat, pollution, and pesticides, according to genomic analyses of the invasive insects in the US and their native China. The findings, published in the ...
Evolution
Feb 4, 2026
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Research in the Journal of Applied Ecology has identified threats to endangered plants in an urban area, generating information that can be used to guide effective conservation strategies across major cities. Investigators ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 28, 2026
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Authors of a new study are calling for stronger protection of insects in wildlife law, after the conviction of four men in Kenya for smuggling rare ants out of the country highlighted the need for more effective deterrents ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 22, 2025
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Once hailed as a solution to Ethiopia's creeping desertification, a foreign tree is now spreading uncontrollably across the East African nation, threatening fragile ecosystems and the very survival of local communities.
Ecology
Nov 12, 2025
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Over time, non-native plant species increasingly integrate into native food webs. Their region of origin or relatedness to native plants plays only a minor role. Far more decisive is how widely they have spread and how long ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 11, 2025
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As the world becomes more interconnected, some plants have benefited from a greater ease in movement from one region to another, while some have become problematic. Some introduced species gain a competitive edge, spreading ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 20, 2025
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17
On islands, many plants rely on animals such as birds, bats and reptiles to disperse their seeds and help them grow in new places. When native animals go extinct, this naturally reduces seed dispersal.
Plants & Animals
Oct 8, 2025
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