Patterns and rates of melaleuca invasion in southeast Florida

Melaleuca is an invasive exotic tree which is rapidly expanding into essentially every native ecosystem in South Florida. Native to Australia, melaleuca currently has no natural enemies within the region. If left unchecked, melaleuca may eventually degrade all of South Florida's natural wetlands. This study examined eight now heavily melaleuca infested one square mile sites within Southeast Florida over a period of fifteen years. Through historical aerial photo interpretation, patterns and rates of melaleuca invasion were described and quantified. These data are discussed and compared to similar studies conducted for other plant species.