Native vs Invasive

GoodFriendMike

GoodFriendMike

Moderator
Something I was thinking about earlier.
At what point does something become "Native"?
In my state we have many plants and animals that are considered invasive.
But many that are considered native came here long ago.
So I guess my question is. What makes a plant on animal native?
 
Non-native plants are any plants that were introduced to an area because of human activities, they may or may not be invasive.

Invasive plants were also introduced to an area by humans, intentionally or not, but they cause harm to native plants or to the existing ecosystem.

So, I’m not sure a non-native plant ever becomes native as long as people remember or know it was introduced by humans. I think the history has to be forgotten first.
 
Inflorescence said:
Non-native plants are any plants that were introduced to an area because of human activities, they may or may not be invasive.

Invasive plants were also introduced to an area by humans, intentionally or not, but they cause harm to native plants or to the existing ecosystem.

So, I’m not sure a non-native plant ever becomes native as long as people remember or know it was introduced by humans. I think the history has to be forgotten first.
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I believe you just answered the question. Many non-native plants and animals here.
And most do not know they are not from here. So time being here and lack of knowledge of them. Makes them native?
That does seem the case. Interesting none the less.
 
ktrain said:
lol...well we have more but that stuff is all over anything and everything.

If you read the story of why it was brought here...pretty cool. I guess...until it got out of hand.
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I am growing fish mint. Also known to be an invasive plant.
Taste like fish. But fresh out the water fish.
Many things brought here. Good or bad is always decided by us.
 
It's unfortunate but most of the plants we eat are not native. Almost every fruit and vegetable... Even wheat isn't from here. In southern Europe there are many more native options (figs).

I'm actually planting some berries this spring because they're actually native to here and I'm looking forward to seeing how something that evolved here produces vs stuff that was introduced. I'm hoping that natural resistance to pests and disease will make it less of a fight

I suppose how good or bad comes down to whether the benefits outweigh the problems... Tomatoes in Canada, so good! Cane toads in Australia... not so much...

But also.... we've changes the plants so much. Citrus originates mostly in Asia but I don't think the oranges we eat today resemble remotely the citrus found growing in the wild. Same with grapes and stone fruit. Another reason I think figs are pretty special. It's something that you can find in wild that can actually be on the same level of quality for food. Berries too I suppose
 
TorontoJoe said:
Almost every fruit and vegetable... Even wheat isn't from here.
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Corn, tomatoes, chocolate, potatoes, blueberries, paw paws, are a few from the originally from americas I can think of.

It makes you wonder if breeding efforts had been undertaken on more natives what interesting edibles might we have ?

But the fig is definitely a stand out as far as just growing wild and having a high quality crop.
 
TorontoJoe said:
I'm actually planting some berries this spring because they're actually native to here and I'm looking forward to seeing how something that evolved here produces vs stuff that was introduced. I'm hoping that natural resistance to pests and disease will make it less of a fight
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What berries are you planting?
 
4evercurious said:
Even if Kudzu were "native," it is still UNNATURAL! Hate that stuff! Yes, it grows in Louisiana and Texas.
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It is indeed one of the most invasive plants in the world, on the other hand...one of the very best for rejuvenating inert soil.
Aside from being brought here for it's landscape qualities, bringing farms back from the dead or just making poor soil nitrogen rich....it was good for something. 😂
 
My understanding from my work as a naturalist:

Native means that a plant or animal co-evolved with other biota in the local ecoystem, and has become part of the food chain (whether producer or consumer). They are considered to have an overall beneficial place in the ecosystem (even the little horrors such as ticks).

Invasive means a plant or animal that did not evolve with other biota in the local ecosystem, and can have the potential to outcompete native flora or fauna, leading to deleterious effects on the food chain. For example, a plant that outcompetes native plants will rob pollinators of food sources (pollen and nectar from native flowers) which may impact other fauna up the food chain. Studies that were done a few years back on chickadee populations showed that their health was closely tied to the number of native plants in the area, since the caterpillars from pollinators are a principal food source for the young.

A plant or animal may become naturalized if it exists in an area for some time, and reaches an equilibrium with other flora or fauna. For example, a naturalized plant (I'm thinking about wild carrot/Queen Anne's lace as an example) is not native to our local ecosystem in that it did not co-evolve with other plants and animals in the area, but it has reached a population density where it does not outcompete other plants, and some consumers will recognize it as a food source.

Hope this is helpful!
 
TorontoJoe said:
It's unfortunate but most of the plants we eat are not native. Almost every fruit and vegetable... Even wheat isn't from here. In southern Europe there are many more native options (figs).

I'm actually planting some berries this spring because they're actually native to here and I'm looking forward to seeing how something that evolved here produces vs stuff that was introduced. I'm hoping that natural resistance to pests and disease will make it less of a fight

I suppose how good or bad comes down to whether the benefits outweigh the problems... Tomatoes in Canada, so good! Cane toads in Australia... not so much...

But also.... we've changes the plants so much. Citrus originates mostly in Asia but I don't think the oranges we eat today resemble remotely the citrus found growing in the wild. Same with grapes and stone fruit. Another reason I think figs are pretty special. It's something that you can find in wild that can actually be on the same level of quality for food. Berries too I suppose
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Am I wrong in thinking muscadine grapes are native to the Americas? They have much thicker skins than table grapes or wine grapes. I used to easily find them when foraging as a kiddo back in Louisiana. I definitely remember finding them in the other states bordering the Gulf of Mexico too.

Agreed on the risk/benefit equation. Nutria = BAD, EVIL, Devil rodents! Satsumas = Tasty, yummy citrus!
 
GoodFriendMike said:
Reading @wyanokie post. They might be considered "naturalized" by now.
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So "naturalized" as @wyanokie is using it could (or does) apply (sunbject being figs) to both figs that are non-native but have been around for many many years and CA seedling regardless of how long they've existed (in non-native lands)?

Not an attempt to question it but rather when I should ever use this fact - I won't come off as making things up (lol).
 
Kid Fig said:
So "naturalized" as @wyanokie is using it could (or does) apply (sunbject being figs) to both figs that are non-native but have been around for many many years and CA seedling regardless of how long they've existed (in non-native lands)?

Not an attempt to question it but rather when I should ever use this fact - I won't come off as making things up (lol).
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Figs have been there so long I don't believe they are still outcompeting the native species.
But I am not there to see it for my self to know for sure.
 
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