Numerous plants have been introduced to the US state of New York in the last four hundred years, and many of them have become invasive species which by definition compete with native plants and suppress the growth of indigenous populations. The identification and measurement of accelerated growth of particularly dangerous invasives has long been a subject of scientific study and data collection; the far ranging impact of invasive species has spurred New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo to allocate millions in funding to eradicate them. According to NYS Assembly Member Steve Englebright, Chair of the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee, “Invasive plant and animal species are a significant threat to New York’s remarkable biodiversity with the potential to severely impact our fores