The Alaska Center for Conservation Science serves as a repository for data on non-native plants and animals in Alaska, with a specific focus on invasive species. The Alaska Exotic Plants Information Clearinghouse (AKEPIC) is a database and mapping application that provides spatial information and ecological risk assessments for non-native plant species in Alaska and neighboring Canadian Territories. Similarly, the Alaska Aquatic Invasive Species Clearinghouse (AK Aqua) is a database and mapping application that provides temporal and spatial information for invasive aquatic species.
Invasive species can have strong impacts on native species, habitats, and natural resources. Indeed, invasive species are considered to be one of the leading threats to native species worldwide. The term “invasive species” means different things to different people. For ecologists, a species is “invasive” if it establishes and spreads rapidly to new areas. Often, the word “invasive” refers to non-native species that negatively affect the region to which they are introduced and that have usually been introduced by humans (whether intentionally or accidentally).
