Understanding the Invasive Species Crisis: A Call for Reflection

At first glance, the whole narrative of aquatic invasive species may seem straightforward: A bad non-native species comes into a new ecosystem and overruns good native species. But the truth? It's a little more complicated. To tear down everything we thought we knew about invasive species and construct a more nuanced picture, host Emily Kwong talks to experts Ian Pfingsten, who works on the United States Geological Survey's Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, and Nicholas Reo, a Canada Excellence Research Chair in Coastal Relationalities and Regeneration.

Check out episode where we get into the annual python challenge we referenced in this episode.

Have a favorite invasive species or one you really can't stand? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear your take!

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