Germination of Lesser Celandine: Ranunculus fulcra

Invasive species are classified as species that are new to an area, have the ability to thrive in their new niche and cause a negative impact on the environment. They are considered to be a dangerous threat to the biodiversity of an ecosystem and may cause negative impacts for human economies, health and resources (1). The modes at which invasive species cause harm include: an increase in competition for food/resources leading to loss in diversity, the destruction of habitat, transmitter of disease, disrupting nutrient cycling and natural production. (2) The rate of change for the migration of species across continents has increased rapidly as a result of human exploration and travel; giving invasive species a mode of transportation to new locations where they can flourish (3).
Ohio is not exempt from the spread of invasive species. About 1/4th of the plant species in ohio are considered to be non-native and around 60 of those alien species are invasive according to the ohio department of natural resources. The invasiveness of a plant species can be distinguished by one or all of the following factors: fast vegetative growth, high reproductive and seed germination rate, extensive seed production, and longevity (Ohio invasive plant council). Plants species like the Lonicera maackii, for instance, have spread throughout ohio and reduced the number of native tree seedlings and herbaceous plants in the area. (Hutchinson and Vankat (1997). The mean species richness and cover was found to be lower in areas under the Lonicera maackii blanket than in regions lacking the invasive bush (Collier et al. (2001). The success of the L. maackii can be attributed to the lack of natural predators and diseases that may control its numbers, and its early leaf growth in the spring which increases competition for light among the