Removing invasive shrubs to restore native forest habitat brings a surprising result, according to Penn State researchers, who say desired native understory plants display an unexpected ability and vigor to recolonize open spots.
The round goby — a small, extremely prolific, invasive fish from Europe — poses a threat to endangered freshwater mussels in northwestern Pennsylvania's French Creek, one of the last strongholds for two species of mussels, according to researchers.
Having ancestors who were frequently exposed to stressors can improve one's own immune response to stress, according to Penn State researchers who studied fence lizards and their stress response. The results suggest that family history should be considered to predict or understand the health implications of stress.
Ailanthus, also called tree-of-heaven, is a voracious invasive plant species that is rapidly affecting more and more forests in the United States, according to plant pathologists. These researchers recently found that Ailanthus not only produces lots of viable seeds, but also that the species produces seeds earlier in its lifespan and keeps producing seeds, in some cases, more than a century later. Recognizing the invasive potential of Ailanthus may help forestry experts control it.
Penn State Extension, with funding from the state Department of Agriculture, has created a “fun,” hands-on, interactive curriculum to address the threat of invasive species, to be offered through its Pennsylvania 4-H youth program.
Josh Mulhollem remembers his fascination with aquatic resources beginning at an early age. The son of an avid outdoorsman, Mulhollem spent much of his youth in central Pennsylvania developing the same passion. He parlayed that interest into a Penn State degree and a rewarding career as an aquatic ecologist.
An insect that attacks onions, leeks, garlic and related crops may be emerging now in parts of Pennsylvania, and growers should be prepared to take measures to manage the pest, according to a Penn State entomologist. The allium leafminer, which never had been seen in the Western Hemisphere until its discovery last winter, produces two generations per year, and the second generation could emerge in September or October.
An insect never before found in the Western Hemisphere has been discovered in Pennsylvania, and agriculture officials are asking growers and home gardeners to help monitor and manage the new invasive pest. The allium leafminer is a threat to several species of crop plants in the genus Allium, such as onion, leek, garlic, chive, shallot and green onion, warned Shelby Fleischer, professor of entomology in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.
Invasive species, such as gypsy moth and emerald ash borer, have had devastating effects on Pennsylvania's forests, and the keys to combatting these threats are active management, collaboration and research, according to U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson. Thompson made his remarks during a forum on invasive forest species that he sponsored Feb. 5 on Penn State's University Park campus.
When an invasive species comes to your neck of the woods, you may have to evolve in a hurry.
People seeing the spotted lanternfly for the first time are struck by its sometimes-flashy appearance. But don't let its colorful, butterfly-like veneer fool you, caution entomologists in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. This exotic, invasive insect poses a potential threat to several important agricultural commodities in Pennsylvania.
The introduction of species like "Frankenfish" or "Rock Snot" into Pennsylvania waters doesn't sound pretty, and it's not. These are just two of the more colorful nicknames for aquatic invaders, but the innocent-sounding ones -- such as parrot feather or water chestnut -- also have the capacity to spell doom for some local ponds and streams.
Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources have extended for 18 months a collaborative effort to stop the spread of invasive plant species in state parks.
Inwood Hill Park survived the drastic modifications of Revolutionary War patriots, but preserving this last bastion of large-growth, mature trees in New York City is difficult with the proliferation of invasive species and hard human use, according to biologists. They suggest the situation warrants a plan in collaboration with those studying the park.
