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Alaska's
national parks are home to complex native communities of plants and
animals that have developed over millions of years. The delicate
natural balance within these communities is threatened by the influx
of invasive plants, which are considered the second greatest threat
to biodiversity after habitat loss. Invasive plants display rapid
growth, spread with little or no human assistance, and are expensive
to remove and difficult to control once established. Invasive plants
are a concern because they threaten the genetic integrity of native
flora through hybridization, can out-compete native plant species for
limited resources, and can change the structure and function of
ecosystems. Establishment of invasive plants can also result in loss
of habitat and food sources for native insects, birds, fish, and
other wildlife.
The Alaska Exotic Plant Management Team provides
invasive plant management assistance to each of the 16 national parks
in Alaska. These parks cover over 52 million acres of pristine
natural areas and wilderness, including coastal fjords, glacial
valleys, tundra, and boreal forests. The majority of national parks
in Alaska contain healthy, intact native ecosystems with very low
levels of infestation by invasive plants.
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