List of invasive species in Florida explained

Invasive species in Florida are introduced organisms that cause damage to the environment, human economy, or human health in Florida.[1] Native plants and animals in Florida are threatened by the spread of invasive species.[2] Florida is a major biodiversity hotspot in North America and the hospitable sub-tropical climate has also become a hotspot for invasive plants and animals due to anthropogenic introduction.[3] [4]

Animals

Mammals

Birds

Amphibians

Invertebrates

Plants

The non-governmental organization FISC published the following list of invasive plant species in 2023.[40] Formerly known as Florida Exotic Plant Pest Council (FLEPPC), the council changed its name to Florida Invasive Species Council (FISC) to retire outdated terminology.[41]

Three species have been added to Category I since 2019, and Category II now includes four additional species.[42] [43] [44] The watch list from FISC highlights species of concern which are not yet included in the Category I or II lists.[45]

The FISC list is a recommendation for natural resource managers, environmental education, and volunteer removal, but is not regulatory by law.[46] State regulated plant species are listed in the State of Florida Noxious Weed List, and the State of Florida Prohibited Aquatic Plants List.[47] Many of the non-native plant species documented in Florida are assessed for invasive potential by UF/IFAS.[48]

FISC describes Category I species as plants which displace native species, disrupt ecological functions, or hybridize with native species. Category II species have not yet altered Florida plant communities to the extent shown by Category I species, but may be assigned to Category I if enough negative impact is reported.[49]

Category 2

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Florida's Exotic Fish and Wildlife. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
  2. Lieurance . Deah . Canavan . Susan . Behringer . Donald C. . Kendig . Amy E. . Minteer . Carey R. . Reisinger . Lindsey S. . Romagosa . Christina M. . Flory . S. Luke . Lockwood . Julie L. . Anderson . Patti J. . Baker . Shirley M. . Bojko . Jamie . Bowers . Kristen E. . Canavan . Kim . Carruthers . Kelly . December 2023 . Identifying invasive species threats, pathways, and impacts to improve biosecurity . Ecosphere . en . 14 . 12 . 10.1002/ecs2.4711 . 2023Ecosp..14E4711L . 2150-8925.
  3. Dawson . Wayne . Moser . Dietmar . van Kleunen . Mark . Kreft . Holger . Pergl . Jan . Pyšek . Petr . Weigelt . Patrick . Winter . Marten . Lenzner . Bernd . Blackburn . Tim M. . Dyer . Ellie E. . Cassey . Phillip . Scrivens . Sally L. . Economo . Evan P. . Guénard . Benoit . 2017-06-12 . Global hotspots and correlates of alien species richness across taxonomic groups . Nature Ecology & Evolution . en . 1 . 7 . 0186 . 10.1038/s41559-017-0186 . 2017NatEE...1..186D . 2397-334X. 10256/14947 . free .
  4. Web site: Kotala . Zenaida . 2016-02-26 . Florida Declared a Global Biodiversity Hotspot . 2024-05-29 . University of Central Florida News UCF Today . en-us.
  5. Web site: Axis axis (Indian spotted deer). www.cabi.org.
  6. Web site: Gambian Pouched Rat Flyer FWC .
  7. Web site: WEC446/UW491: Nonnative Monkey Populations of Florida: History, Status, and Potential Impacts . 2024-05-30 . Ask IFAS - Powered by EDIS . en-US.
  8. Web site: vervet monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops) - EDDMapS State Distribution - EDDMapS . 2024-05-30 . EDDMapS.org.
  9. Web site: Baiting the Nine-Banded Armadillo . Ober . Holly K. . DeGroote . Lucas W. . Mizell . Russell F. . 2 November 2017 . UF/IFAS Extension . University of Florida . 24 November 2022.
  10. Taulman. J F. Robbins. L W. 1996. Recent range expansion and distributional limits of the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) in the United States. Journal of Biogeography. 23. 5 . 635–648. 10.1111/j.1365-2699.1996.tb00024.x . 1996JBiog..23..635T .
  11. Web site: Domestic Cats Whitepaper .
  12. Parker . Brandon . Anderson . C. Jane . Romagosa . Christina M. . Wisely . Samantha M. . Pearson . Daniel . Seyjagat . John . Sayler . Katherine Ashley . 2018-01-22 . Status of Capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris Rodentia: Hydrochaeridae) and Potential for Establishment in Florida: WEC393/UW438, 12/2017 . EDIS . en . 2018 . 1 . 5 . 10.32473/edis-uw438-2017 . 2576-0009.
  13. Web site: rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) - EDDMapS State Distribution - EDDMapS . 2024-05-30 . EDDMapS.org.
  14. Web site: Rhesus Macaque . Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission.
  15. Web site: Land Mammals - House Mouse . Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission.
  16. Griffo . James V. . 1957 . The Status of the Nutria in Florida . Quarterly Journal of the Florida Academy of Sciences . 20 . 3 . 209–215 . 24314874 . 0015-3850.
  17. Web site: Nutria (Myocaster coypus) Ecological Risk Screening Summary. June 2015. 14 September 2017. United States Fish & Wildlife Service. 3 September 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20221020083603/https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Ecological-Risk-Screening-Summary-Nutria.pdf. 20 October 2022.
  18. Web site: Rattus norvegicus (brown rat). www.cabi.org.
  19. Web site: Rattus rattus (black rat). 7 April 2024.
  20. Tilmant. James T.. September 1980. Investigations of Rodent Damage to the Thatch Palms Thrinax morrisii and Thrinax radiata on Elliott Key, Biscayne National Park, Florida. Everglades National Park, South Florida Research Center. National Park Service. M-589.
  21. Palmer . Geoffrey H. . Koprowski . John L. . Pernas . Anthony J. . February 2014 . Distribution and spread of an introduced insular population of red-bellied squirrels (Sciurus aureogaster) in Florida. . Mammalia . 78 . 1 . 67–73 . 10.1515/mammalia-2012-0141 . 53685731 . 2 December 2022.
  22. Web site: Wild Hog. Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission.
  23. Web site: Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) . . Florida State Parks . Florida Department of Environmental Protection . 24 November 2022.
  24. Web site: Vulpes vulpes (red fox). www.cabi.org.
  25. Web site: Davis . Jim . 2022-12-28 . Wildlife & Invasive Species Education™ (WISE) Species Profile: The Egyptian Goose . 2024-05-30 . UF/IFAS Extension Sumter County . en.
  26. Web site: Muscovy Ducks. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Muscovy ducks can create problems through competition with native species, damage to property, and transmission of disease.. 4 September 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240904011829/https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/waterfowl/muscovy-ducks/. 4 September 2024.
  27. Johnson. Steve A.. Hawk. Michelle. 30 April 2009. Florida's Introduced Birds: Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata). Edis . 3 . 1–4. University of Florida/IFAS. 10.32473/edis-uw299-2009 . Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. Florida Cooperative Extension Service Publication WEC254. Muscovies are often found in large numbers, particularly in Florida, and produce a large quantity of droppings, which can seriously degrade water quality. In addition, domestic ducks are often responsible for the spread of several serious diseases to native ducks, and may also interbreed with native ducks, "muddying" the gene pools of those species and potentially decreasing their capacity to adapt, resist disease, and persist.. 3. 4 September 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240904030230/https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/117879/115886. 4 September 2024.
  28. Web site: rock pigeon (Columba livia) - EDDMapS State Distribution - EDDMapS . 2024-05-30 . EDDMapS.org.
  29. Philipps. R. Brand. 29 May 2008. Columba livia (pigeons). CABI Compendium. 87913. CABI International. Rock pigeons are known to transmit pigeon ornithosis, encephalitis, Exotic Newcastle Disease, cryptococcosis, toxoplasmosis, salmonella food poisoning, and several other diseases. Rock pigeons and their nests are infested with ectoparasites, such as ticks, fleas, and mites, which can cause health problems for humans. [...] Large amounts of droppings may kill vegetation and produce an objectionable odour.. 10.1079/cabicompendium.87913. free.
  30. Liker. Andras. 4 October 2010. Passer domesticus (house sparrow). CABI Compendium. 38975. CABI International. House sparrows are known for displacing native species through competition by out-competing them for trophic resources. In rural areas they may evict native birds from their nests.. 10.1079/cabicompendium.38975. free.
  31. Web site: Johnson. Steve A.. Violett. Heather. 1 June 2009. Florida's Introduced Birds: European House Sparrow (Passer domesticus). 1–7. University of Florida/IFAS. Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. Florida Cooperative Extension Service Publication WEC260. House Sparrows aggressively compete with native birds for food and nest sites and may reduce their nesting success. These invasive birds will use nest boxes intended for native birds and are known to evict other birds from nest sites, destroying eggs, killing nestlings, and sometimes killing incubating females.. 4. 4 September 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240904022645/https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/download/117965/115947/172015. 4 September 2024.
  32. Web site: Domestic Peafowl. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). 4 September 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240904010723/https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/domestic-peafowl/. 4 September 2024.
  33. News: Mazzei. Patricia. 9 August 2023. An Overrun Miami Suburb Will Snip Its Peacocks (and Not in the Feathers). The New York Times. 4 September 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240904011515/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/09/us/peacock-vasectomies-miami-pinecrest.html. 4 September 2024.
  34. Tracey. John. Gehrke. Brandon. 4 October 2010. Sturnus vulgaris (common starling). CABI Compendium. 51979. CABI International. European starlings are extremely aggressive omnivores, and will compete with native fauna for food. [...] Usurping nests by contamination (as well as physical competition) is also a major problem (e.g. native parrots use little, if any, bedding, whereas starlings will rapidly fill and contaminate tree hollows).. 10.1079/cabicompendium.51979. free. 253611022.
  35. Johnson. Steve A.. Givens. Walter. 31 May 2009. Florida's Introduced Birds: European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris). Edis . 4 . 1–6. University of Florida/IFAS. 10.32473/edis-uw300-2009 . Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. Florida Cooperative Extension Service Publication WEC255. European Starlings feed in huge flocks, eating massive quantities of invertebrates and plant matter, and may have significant localized effects on invertebrate populations and thus on availability of food for other species. [...] European Starlings aggressively displace native cavity-nesting birds, evicting these species from their nest sites and destroying their eggs.. 3–4. 4 September 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240904024120/https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/download/117915/115916/171906. 4 September 2024.
  36. Web site: Eleutherodactylus coqui (Caribbean tree frog). www.cabi.org.
  37. Web site: Greenhouse Frog (Eleutherodactylus planirostris) . Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission.
  38. Web site: WEC320/UW365: The Invasion of Exotic Reptiles and Amphibians in Florida.
  39. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw345 IFAS Extension
  40. Web site: 2023-FiSC-Plant-List-Brochure-11-27-23 . 19 February 2024 .
  41. Iannone . Basil . Carnevale . Shannon . Main . Martin . Hill . Jeff . McConnell . Julie . Johnson . Steven . Enloe . Stephen . Andreu . Michael . Bell . Emily . Cuda . James . Baker . Shirley . 2020-06-01 . Invasive Species Terminology: Standardizing for Stakeholder Education . The Journal of Extension . 58 . 3 . 10.34068/joe.58.03.27 . 1077-5315. free .
  42. Web site: List of invasive plant species . Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council . 2013 .
  43. Web site: bugwoodcloud.org. 7 April 2024. 2019 Plant list.
  44. Web site: 2023-11-07 . FISC Category 1 . floridainvasives.org . XLSX.
  45. Web site: 2024-04-15 . 2023 FISC Watch List - Florida Invasive Species Partnership . 2024-05-30 . en-US.
  46. Web site: Florida Invasive Species Council .
  47. https://bugwoodcloud.org/CDN/fleppc/plantlists/ProperUses2.pdf
  48. Web site: Assessments - UF/IFAS Assessment - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science .
  49. Web site: Plant List - Florida Invasive Species Partnership . 31 May 2023 .

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