Bradford pear trees are ornamental trees that are not native to the United States but were brought here to be used in landscaping. They were originally thought to be harmless to the ecosystem because they were assumed to be unable to reproduce, but then scientists discovered they get cross-pollinated by native pear trees. The resulting offspring trees take the place of wild, native pear trees. These offspring are bad for the ecosystem in several ways. They have dangerous, harmful thorns; also, they reproduce and grow quickly, so they crowd out native species. Some states, like South Carolina, have made it illegal to sell new Bradford pear trees.
a. Based on the information in the passage, how should Bradford pear trees be classified in the U.S.?(1 point)Responses
1.native species
2.predatory species
3.invasive species
4.successful species