Lisa Scott. 1998. Weed Invasion in Smith, I.M., and G.G.E. Scudder, eds. Assessment of species diversity in the Montane Cordillera Ecozone. Burlington: Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network, 1998.

WEED INVASION

Lisa Scott

MAJOR GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE

All of the invasive plant species discussed in this report have become a permanent component of the biota of the Montane Cordillera Ecozone. While some of these species may have nearly reached their ecological limits, the potential distribution of other species is highly significant and must be addressed. Attention needs to focus on those species that pose an extreme threat to the environmental integrity of the Montane Cordillera, namely sulphur cinquefoil, Dalmatian toadflax and leafy spurge. The ecological limits are not established for these species and their potential distributions in the Montane Cordillera are not defined. This knowledge could significantly assist the direction of management of these weeds in the Ecozone.