Invasive Exotic Species in the Sonoran Region

Invasive species are organisms that appear outside their native habitats. These non-native organisms—approximately 600 of which are now established in the Sonoran Desert—often threaten native plants and animals. One of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Studies in Natural History published by the University of Arizona, this book discusses the impact and management of such invasive species as non-native rats, tamarisk, and buffelgrass in the Sonoran Desert as well as adjacent grasslands, riparian areas, and islands in the Sea of Cortez. Edited by Barbara Tellman, this book also features an interesting essay on “The Deep History of Immigration” by Thomas R. Van Devender, Senior Research Scientist at ASDM.

For more information about how you can help save the Sonoran Desert from the threat of invasive species, see ASDM’S Invaders Citizen Scientist Program. (DH)