We live in an era of globalization, the effects of which are felt in ecological as well as social and economic terms. Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula) is a native of Eurasia that found its way to North America in the early 1800s as a seed impurity. This invasive species is now a major menace throughout the Plains, displacing native grasses and forbs and poisoning cattle and other grazing species. The control of Leafy Spurge is one of the major challenges to the sustainable management of the grasslands of the High Plains. (Image from http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/eues1.htm)
