These plants lack natural herbivores and parasites to limit their population size and are quickly able to dominate their new habitats. Every state has been affected by invasive species, costing the United States billions of dollars annually in agricultural losses and control measures. Thousands of plants have been introduced into the United States, but not all of them have become aggressive invaders. These attributes allow these plants to displace native species and disrupt the normal functioning of ecosystems. Wildlife that depends on native plants for food and shelter are also adversely affected.
Invasive plants are a threat to biodiversity and can be found in nature preserves across the world.
Scientists fear that this reduction in biodiversity can lead to the homogenization of the world's flora and the extinction of many native plant species.