Forest Ecosystems

Forest ecosystems are very diverse communities of plants, animals and other organisms. All of them compete for space, water, nutrients and other things needed for life. Each organism needs specific conditions to live well and reproduce. For example, fungi need a source of food (i.e. decaying vegetable matter like a fallen tree), moisture and protection from full sun. That is the “ecological niche” the fungi occupy.

When a non-native plant or animal species is introduced into an area they sometimes can out-compete native species and upset the natural balance. This is sometimes a bad situation.

Explore the web sites below to see examples of invasive species and the problems they can cause.

Web Links:

Invasive Species Programs by State and Federal Governments – This is a gateway site to information and many invasive species cases.

The Nature Conservancy’s Invasive Species Initiative - This is The Nature Conservancy's response to the damage caused to native biodiversity by non-native, harmful invasive species. This web site provides many resources designed to help all conservationists deal most effectively with invasive species. See “Invasives 101”.