From Burmese pythons and European starlings to zebra mussels and Great Lake lampreys, the United States is in the midst of an invasive species crisis, impacting local environments both on the land and in the water. There are a number of factors making this problem worse, but foremost among them is climate change.
Dr. Robert C. Venette, a research biologist working for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Northern Research Station, is paying close attention to multiple invasive species, including "several bark beetles, emerald ash borer, spotted lanternfly, hemlock wooly adelgid, oak wilt, Palmer amaranth and Japanese knotweed, among others." But figuring out exactly how much damage they will do — and what that means for the future of the environment — isn't an easy task.
