Ecological Suppression:
Would You Plant an Invasive Species?
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Image: Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus), a shrub introduced as a landscaping ornamental. Though considered invasive by many, it is not illegal to plant and thus still sold throughout Michigan
Introduction
An invasive species is a non-native species that harms the environment and ecosystem in some way. So why then are 61% of plant species available for sale in the United States invasive species (Beaury et al, 2021)? Non-native species can survive easily within many environments and not become an issue, yet invasive species such as periwinkle, glossy buckthorn, tree of heaven and giant hogweed began as lawn ornamentals. Bringing these species into a new environment with no natural predators or environmental limiters can cause ecological havoc.
There tends to be common attributes with invasive species according to Darcy & Burkart (2002), where they can:
Grow quickly and push out native species
Pump poisons into the soil so the invasive only survives
Shade the ground to not allow new plant sprouts
Why does this matter?
We should not want to introduce invasive species to areas (Beaury et al, 2021; Warziniack et al, 2021). Even though having a decorative plant in a yard is visually pleasing, any invasive species has the chance to escape. Birds could eat berries, seeds could blow in the wind, a person could nonchalantly pick up an invasive and bring it somewhere else, or any other simple acts that can cause invasive species to spread. To have a healthier and robust ecosystem, native species should be the go to. Improving or harming the environment can be as easy as planting a seed; choosing the right plant to grow is key to ecological sustainability. My proposal for a study is to gauge the awareness of people’s plant buying habits for gardening and whether invasive species are taken into consideration. This then leads to my research question:
How does awareness of invasive species in landscaping change consumer’s decisions to buy and plant native species?
Glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus), a tree introduced as a landscaping ornamental that is classified as an invasive species in Michigan
A Very Brief History of Invasive Species
Invasive species have been an issue in the United States since the colonization era (Cabanek, Nannup, & Newman, 2023). When bringing over species to plant, a disregard to native species was prevalent and the focus was to instead plant hearty, attractive, edible or medicinal non-native plants. When these species escaped, because of a lack of natural predators and limiters, they soon became invasive and out-competed native species. This has shifted the ecological processes of many areas and lead to less biodiversity, decreased populations, extinctions, and an overall worse-off environment. The Invasive Species Act of 1996 declared invasive species as an issue and started the process of putting restrictions in place (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service). This allows management, removal, and prevention practices to happen and make certain species illegal to cultivate.
Ornamental Invasive Escapee's
Periwinkle (Vinca minor)
Periwinkle is an evergreen commonly used as groundcover in gardens. Though considered invasive by some, it is not illegal to plant in Michigan
This plant exhibits allelopathy, the spreading of chemicals inhibiting other species from growing in the immediate area
The leaves of periwinkle block sunlight from reaching the ground, not allowing any new species seedlings to sprout
When it escapes and invades forest floors, it immensely decreases the chance of seedling survival, sometimes as low as an 8% survival rate (Burkart & Darcy, 2002)
At GVSU, you can find these in the landscaping around the Lake Halls
Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
Tree of heaven is a tree introduced as a landscaping ornamental. It is considered an invasive species and is illegal to plant
In the environment, the tree of heaven can spread quickly and push native species out
This plant tends to spread well in disturbed areas that humans created, such as abandoned construction sites, untended to urban greenery, and agricultural land
The pollen from this plant can cause skin irritation, pink eye, hives and hay fever
Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
Giant hogweed was brought to the US as a garden plant. This species is considered invasive and cannot be cultivated
These flowering plants can group together and create thick groupings which allows improved seed production
The leaves from this plant can shade out any plants trying to grow nearby
Giant hogweed is a large concern to humans because of its sap. Contact with any damaged part of the plant to damp skin and exposed to sunlight can create burns, blisters and painful scarring
Giant Knotweed (Reynoutria sachalinensis), an invasive that was introduced as a landscaping ornamental. This plant has strong rhizomes that can damage human structures. Believe it or not, this is one plant sharing a rhizome system, and it is growing on top of a concrete basketball court.
The Cost of Invasive's
There are countless issues with invasive species that have already been mentioned, but one aspect not touched on is the impact on the economy. In 2000, federal agencies within the United States spent $631.5 million on dealing with invasive species, which includes management, prevention, and education costs (Warziniack et al, 2021). Adjusting for inflation, over $1.1 billion was spent on dealing with species that should not be here, and more than likely the amount has gone up as years go on. This does not factor in the cost private land owners, city planners, and countless other entities have to spend on managing invasives.
Why Native Species Matter & Their Benefits
Instead of planting invasive or even non-native plants, cultivating native species can be a great alternative. The reintroduction and implementation of native species can repair this and improve environmental health (Al-Kofahi et al, 2024; Cabanek, Newman & Nannup, 2023; Staude, 2024). As native species have been in the US long before humans have, they have lived and adapted to the environment, and so have the species reliant on them. Native bugs, birds, mammals and other animals rely on these species for food, shelter, and survival. As native species are already adapted to their local environments, it can be beneficial to plant them to support their ecological roles. Having plants that are both beneficial to the environment and encourage sustainable practices can improve both the lives of people and biodiversity of species (Al-Kofahi et al, 2024; Priya & Senthil, 2024).
Beneficial Native Species
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.)
Common milkweed is a native species to Michigan
The plants produce an alkaloid compound that repels herbaceous insects from eating it
Insects, such as monarch butterflies, have co-evolved to feed on the nectar of the milkweed, allowing the plant to both benefit nectar feeding insects and also promote pollen transfers.
Purple Cornflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Purple cornflower is a native flower species to Michigan
The purple cornflower has drought-tolerant aspects, allowing it to survive in dry spells
Flowers remain in bloom for lengthy periods
Adaptable to different soil and pH levels
Seeds are attractive to birds and flowers attract pollinators including important bee species
Methods & Justification
The scope of the research may span throughout the greater Grand Rapids area, or slim down to specific areas. This could include Grand Rapids, Walker, Ada, Lowell, Rockford, Allendale, Standale, and Byron Center. The methods for this proposed research would include optional surveys, interviews, and site exploration.
Surveys: General questions would be sent out to participants to gauge their knowledge of invasive species, native species, purchasing decisions, and understanding of ecological functions. This would provide a baseline of information to further the research. Sample questions may include:
What do you know about invasive species?
What was your budget when planning your garden?
What amount of research went into deciding what to plant and where in your landscaping?
Where were your plants purchased?
Interviews: A select group of responders would be invited for an interview once answers are in. A further dive into these peoples responses through extended questions could create a clear picture on where they are coming from.
Site Visit: A visit to some gardens would be beneficial to tally the species within the landscaping. This could weed out information that may have not been answered or brought up within the surveys or interviews.
The main objective for this research would to be education. We should want to educate people on how to improve the land they live on, and invasive species actively oppose this. Gauging the understanding that an average person has on their actions could both benefit them and teach how to think in the future. Along with this, having the information on the knowledge people have can become a baseline for future education, becoming preventative instead of reactive. Having individuals making educated decisions instead of impulse, as explained in the next section, can lead to better environmental health.
Theoretical Framework
This diagram represents a hybrid bounded rationality theory and expands on the after effects, furthering the idea of education. In summary, the bounded rationality theory states that people make purchasing decisions based on the time it takes to find the product, the wording the product has, and their prior knowledge of the product (Simon, 1990). The constructs for my research are invasive species landscaping and consumer purchasing decisions. Invasive species interact with the landscaping discussed, and people have their reasons for purchasing and planning their gardens. When purchasing plants for landscaping, one may want to buy an attractive bush or flower to plant without researching where the seeds come from, if it is native, non-native or invasive, or if it has any ecological value. I believe that people are purchasing without realizing or caring that there are invasive plants for sale. If people were to put in the time to find a plant that benefits their local environment, would they choose to purchase a native species that has ecological value, or would they choose an invasive plant that has a beautiful look to it?
References
References
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Beaury, E., Evelyn M., Patrick, M., & Bradley, B. 2021. “Invaders for Sale : The Ongoing Spread of Invasive Species by the Plant Trade Industry.” Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 19 (10): 550–56. https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=bdad0e9f-dc8e-356f-bc76- 73e2e0f60891.
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Priya, U. K., & Senthil, R. (2024). Framework for Enhancing Urban Living Through Sustainable Plant Selection in Residential Green Spaces. Urban Science, 8(4), 235. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8040235
Salgado-Salazar, C., Romberg, M. K., & Hudelson, B. (2023). Plasmopara echinaceae, a new species of downy mildew affecting cone flowers (Echinacea purpurea) in the United States. Fungal Systematics & Evolution, 12, 203–217. https://doi.org/10.3114/fuse.2023.12.1
Simon, H. A. (1990). Bounded Rationality. Utility and Probability (pp. 15–18). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-20568-4_5
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Warziniack, T., Haight, R. G., Yemshanov, D., Apriesnig, J. L., Holmes, T. P., Countryman, A. M., Rothlisberger, J. D., & Haberland, C. (2021). Economics of invasive species. In Invasive Species in Forests and Rangelands of the United States (pp. 305–320). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45367-1_14
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