Alaska Center for Conservation Science serves as a repository for occurrence data and biological information on terrestrial non-native plants and animals and harmful or non-native marine species in Alaska with a specific focus on invasive species. 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). Invasive species can have strong impacts on native species, habitats, and natural resources, and they are considered to be one of the leading threats to biodiversity worldwide.
The Alaska Exotic Plants Information Clearinghouse (AKEPIC) is a database and mapping application that provides geospatial information and ecological risk assessments for non-native plant species in Alaska and neighboring Canadian Territories. ACCS also maintains information on terrestrial, aquatic, and marine non-native animals in Alaska.
