# Bucking Convention to Track the Upside of Invasive Species

- Link: https://www.widthness.com/bucking-convention-to-track-the-upside-of-invasive-species/
- Published: 2022-10-01T09:30:07-05:00
- Author: Curated by Theresa Wysocki

Photo caption: Originally introduced as ornamental plants in the early 20th century, Asian honeysuckle rapidly spread across the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. Photo credit: DeAgostini / Getty Images. Article by Asher Elbein. Undark – September 28, 2022. A little over a decade ago, Jason Gleditsch was removing Asian honeysuckle when he noticed the birds. Robins and gray catbirds flocked around the thickets in autumn, attracted by the fat, ripe fruits. Originally introduced as ornamental plants in the early 20th century, Asian honeysuckle rapidly spread across the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, growing in dense stands that can shade out native plants. Conservationists often destroy these clumps. But Gleditsch, then an undergrad at Pennsylvania State University, noted something interesting: Native bird species seemed more drawn to the honeysuckle patches. […] Click here to view original web page at undark.org