What is a bioinvader?

A bioinvader is an exotic organism usually introduced into an ecosystem accidentally. These bioinvaders are nonnative plants and often overwhelm the native species. Examples of bioinvaders include the kudzu vine. Kudzu was first introduced in the 1930s by the United States Soil Conservation Service for a good purpose- to control erosion. Kudzu now grows uncontrolled in the southeastern United States, pulling down powerlines and killing trees. Other bioinvader species include zebra mussels (Great Lakes), purple loosestrife (northern United States and Canada), and the Asian long-horned beetle (first reported in New York but now spreading into the Midwest).