FIG. 49.22 Invasive species. (a) Kudzu (Pueraria lobata), a Japanese vine, was introduced to the United States in 1876 and now covers more than 3 million hectares. (b) The Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha), introduced into the Great Lakes from Europe in 1985, disrupts lake ecosystems, threatening native biological diversity. (c) The Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis), introduced into Guam from Asia and Australia shortly after World War II, has decimated indigenous bird populations across the island.