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Provides access to all site resources, with the option to search by species common and scientific names. Resources can be filtered by Subject, Resource Type, Location, or Source. Search Help
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) tracks environment and natural resources legislation to bring you up-to-date, real-time information on bills that have been introduced in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Database provides search options by state (or territory), topic, keyword, year, status or primary sponsor. Topics include Wildlife - Legislation related to wildlife, including protected and invasive species, habitat restoration, migration corridors, trafficking, disease, etc. See also: Resources State Bill Tracking Database Archive (2009-2022); includes Wildlife-Invasive Species and Wildlife-Pollinators topics
Environmental DNA (eDNA) is the genetic material from a plant or animal that is found in the air, water or soil. Fish, such as invasive carp, release DNA into the environment in the form of skin cells, secretions, and feces. This DNA can be collected from water samples in the field and be used to indicate the potential presence of an individual species. eDNA testing is useful as a potential early indicator of invasive carp presence and was developed to improve monitoring of such aquatic invasive species.
Environmental DNA is developing into a powerful tool for improving the monitoring and detection of invasive species, which may be present in low numbers and therefore difficult to find. There are a wide range of ongoing efforts by federal and non-federal groups working to improve and apply eDNA to invasive species monitoring and management.
The NISC FY2020 to FY2022 Work Plans incorporated interagency work on eDNA, including the following outputs:
Assays of environmental DNA — traces of genetic material found in air, soil, and water — may improve scientists’ ability to detect bat roosts and track the spread of white-nose syndrome, a disease caused by a killer fungus spread easily in the close quarters of hibernacula. In this research, scientists experienced success in detecting bats in field collected samples of environmental DNA, though the technology is still in the experimental stage.
United States Geological Survey Science is Refining eDNA Techniques and Developing New Applications. Research by the U.S. Geological Survey is leading to new techniques in the use of environmental DNA, or eDNA, to detect invasive species and their spread.
International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
The Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) is the IUCN global standard for measuring the severity of environmental impacts caused by animals, fungi and plants living outside their natural range. This tool alerts scientists, conservation practitioners and policy makers to the potential consequences of alien species, guides the development of prevention and mitigation measures, and assists in the prioritisation of management actions.
UN. FAO. International Plant Protection Convention.
You cannot protect the environment without also safeguarding plant health. When plant pests and diseases spread into new areas they seriously damage entire ecosystems, putting at risk biological diversity and the environment itself. Tiny and lethal at the same time, plant pests and invasive alien species have been recently identified as the main driver of biodiversity loss. Pests are also responsible for losses of up to USD 220 billion in agricultural trade each year and the loss of 40 percent of the global food crop production. Climate change is making the situation even worse. It is changing the life cycle of pests – sometimes increasing the number of yearly generations - and creating new niches where they can thrive. For more information see the IPPC factsheet "Plant Health and Environmental Protection [PDF, 1.22 MB]".