Part of preserving our ecosystem is to understand all forms of life that exist in our parks and beyond. Understanding the relationship between the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) interactions in an ecosystem helps to create an effective management program to protect natural resources. Controlling invasive species is one way to protect the biodiversity that make the park special. As the name suggests, biodiversity refers to multitude of living organisms in one area and is a way to gauge the health of the natural community. Invasive species threaten our environment in a very powerful way because they can alter the ecosystems and landscapes we seek to protect. Invasive species are 'a non-native species whose introduction does, or is likely to cause, economic or environmental harm or harm to human, animal, or plant health' (Executive Order 13112, 1999). Invasive species aggressively compete with native species and are often the victor of the battle. In some cases, one invasive species can outcompete many native species, thus reducing biodiversity.