Colored dots on the map of Wisconsin show how much invasive exotic plants have increased over the past 50 years.
Don Waller, professor of botany and environmental studies, is co-author of a new study that reveals decades of fragmentation in Wisconsin's forests have taken a largely unseen toll on the sustainability of these natural ecosystems.
Even areas with apparently robust trees and lush canopies are threatened as forests are increasingly fragmented by roads and development, becoming isolated green islands in a sea of agricultural fields, housing tracts, and strip malls, say UW-Madison researchers.
The story appeared in US News & World Report.