Invasive Species Will Now Be Watched by NASA 03 Feb 2005 Invasive species of plants and insects now have a new enemy - NASA satellites. Recently, NASA accepted an invitation to join the National Invasive Species Council (NISC) to assist 12 other Federal agencies combat invasive species across the country by providing information from satellites. What is an invasive species? An "invasive species" can be plants, animals, and other organisms, such as microbes, minute life forms, such as bacteria that cause disease. Usually, invasive species are brought to environment they don't belong in, because people bring them there. Its introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human health. One plant that became an invasive species in the U.S. is the Giant Hogweed. It was brought over from Europe or Asia around 1917 for use as an ornamental plant. It grows from 8 to 14 feet high and has thick stems with purple blotches and coarse hairs. Giant hogweed grows in moist soils along roadsides and stream banks. It is a dangerous, poisonous plant that should not be touched. Another example is Salt Cedar, an invasive plant now widespread in the western U.S. It has replaced native species and may have significant negative effects on water resources. NASA satellite data will be used by the other federal agencies to help locate various plants. The satellites will use bands of color from the spectrum to see the Sun's light reflected by different plants and the environments in which they are growing. The satellites will lock in on the combination of bands of color to determine an invasive plant's current locations and areas that may develop a future invasion. Scientists are working now with the satellite data to see different plants. "NASA is pleased with the invitation to join the National Invasive Species Council (NISC) and eager to assist in the control of invasive species that threaten U.S. agriculture, ecosystems, water resources and public health," said Edwin Sheffner, manager of the invasive species program element in the Applied Sciences Program at NASA Headquarters, Washington. Monitoring and getting rid of invasive species costs the country tens of billions of dollars yearly. NASA has agreed to make its satellite observations of the Earth, computer modeling and engineering experience available to the NISC, to improve the ability to help control and destroy invasive species that are harming the environment in the U.S. NASA's track record of achievement in the realm of invasive species monitoring led to NISC's invitation to the agency to join the Council. Everyone should know about invasive species. Some may already be lurking in your garden. To find out what type of plants or animals may be invaders, anyone can see examples of invasive species at the website of the NISC at http://www.invasivespecies.gov. On the web site users can learn about the impacts of invasive species and the Federal government's response, read descriptions on specific invasive species, and find Internet links to agencies and organizations dealing with invasive species issues. The invitation to NASA to join the NISC is recognition of partnerships between NASA and NISC members in understanding and combating invasive species on Earth, as well as NASA's unique role in preventing biological contamination that may be carried by space missions. NASA scientists at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland are assisting the U.S. Geological Survey, the federal agency that keeps track of invasive species. They will work together to share Earth observations from NASA satellites, including Landsat, Terra, Aqua and the EO-1 satellites in the fight against these plants, insects and microbes that don't belong and harm the environment. For more information contact: Gretchen Cook-Anderson - gcookand@hq.nasa.gov Headquarters, Washington (Phone: 202/358-0836) Rob Gutro -rgutro@pop900.gsfc.nasa.gov Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. (Phone: 301/286-4044) Anna Cherry - Anna_Cherry@ios.doi.gov National Invasive Species Council, Washington (Phone: 202/354-1891) Related Websites: For more information about the Invasive Species Council, please visit on the Internet: invasivespecies.gov For the list of partnering Federal agencies on the NISC, please visit: invasivespecies.gov/council/agencies.shtml For more information about NASA's work on the NISFS, please visit: InvasiveSpecies.gsfc.nasa.gov For more information about NASA's planetary protection policyavoiding interplanetary biological contaminationplease visit: planetaryprotection.nasa.gov Rob Gutro rgutro@pop900.gsfc.nasa.gov 301-286-4044 NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center--EOS Project Science Office

 

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