You might have seen recent headlines about invasive frogs with dangerous parasites, frozen iguanas falling out of trees, or large invasive lizards that are eating baby gopher tortoises. Florida is a hotspot for nonnative and invasive species, but there hasn’t been a consistent way to talk about these species until now. Have you noticed all of the invasive species vocabulary in the articles?
In this episode, we explore the various words biologists, park rangers, the public, and news media use to describe nonnative and invasive species. We will define and explain invasive species vocabulary and clarify what these words mean.
We hope this brief introduction to invasion science vocabulary will help you feel more informed and ready to engage in the invasive species conversation. With your help, we have a much better chance of reducing invasive species’ impact on our native Florida ecosystems.
Listen to this month’s podcast episode, now!
New Episode from Naturally Florida
Naturally Florida (a podcast about Florida’s natural areas and the wild things that live here) recently released a new episode about invasive species vocabulary.
Check it out, below on spotify, or on your favorite podcast platform.
If you enjoyed this episode about invasive species vocabulary, please consider sharing it with a friend.
You can find all the podcast platforms where Naturally Florida is published, submit feedback, or request future topics at www.naturallyfloridapodcast.com
Learn more:
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Florida Invasive Species Council – The mission of the Florida Invasive Species Council is to reduce the impacts of invasive plants in Florida through the exchange of scientific, educational, and technical information – https://floridainvasivespecies.org/
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Watch a webinar on proper terminology (Designed for practitioners) – https://ufl.zoom.us/rec/share/44S0gD4WDRW8Kd_iAl_RXGN5WQtde3BuIxKBOMpzZCYtMZ60-aQ79uGhUbX0PhE6.7fADGgWMwrlZqruO (taught by Shannon)
How You Can Help:
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Research permit requirements for nonnative wildlife and reptiles – https://myfwc.com/license/captive-wildlife/ and https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/rule-development/
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Remove invasive species from your yard – Contact your local extension office for help: https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/find-your-local-office/
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Report sightings of nonnative plants and wildlife online or via smartphone app: https://www.eddmaps.org/
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Report sightings of high-priority nonnative reptiles– Contact FWC’s invasive species hotline at 1-888-483-4681 or online at ExoticReports@MyFWC.com (include photos!) Examples of high-priority nonnative reptiles are any species of nonnative snake, tegu lizards, and monitor lizards but NOT iguanas
Sources for this Episode:
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UF/IFAS EDIS Publication, “Standardized Invasive Species Terminology for Effective Outreach Education” (Shannon’s a co-author!) – https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/FR/FR439/FR439-Dsr1ns611r.pdf
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Journal of Extension, “Invasive Species Terminology: Standardizing for Stakeholder Education” (Shannon’s a co-author!) – https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/joe/vol58/iss3/27/#.YhZAiDBNQi0.link
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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission websites: https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/
Learn about other episodes from Naturally Florida by Clicking Here.
UF/IFAS Extension is an Equal Opportunity Institution.
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