Invasive species pose a serious threat to native plant and animal species.
To heighten awareness of this global threat to biodiversity, IUCN dedicated a special double issue of its World Conservation journal to invasive species such as Gladiolus caryophyllaceus. The goal of IUCN s Global Initiative on Invasive Species is to prevent the loss of biodiversity due to alien invasive species, by improving detection and prevention techniques and control and eradication methods. These are just a few of the many plant and animal species whose unchecked population growth outside of their native habitats have severely impacted native species populations, the functioning of ecosystems, and global and local economies. Alien invasive species are the agents of biodiversity loss all over the world. They have disrupted freshwater and marine ecosystems, tropical, boreal and temperate forests, urban areas, islands, grasslands and deserts.