Observations on invasive plant species in Micronesia

Abstract

As requested by the Pacific Islands Committee, Council of Western State Foresters, we conducted a survey of selected Micronesian islands for invasive plant species. The objectives were three-fold: (1) To identify species on the islands that are presently causing problems: (2) to identify species that, even though they are not presently a major problem, could spread to other islands where they are not present, potentially causing problems: and (3) to look for invasive species known to cause problems in ecosystems similar to the islands visited. This report is based 011 perceptions gained from a three- week trip from July 19 to August 6, 1998, to the islands of Saipan and Tinian (Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands): Peleliu, Babelthaup and Koror (Republic of Palau); Pohnpei and Yap (Federated States of Micronesia) and Guam.