SAVE MONEY ON TRAVEL DEALS

Research by University of Notre Dame scientists found nearly 10 percent of the 753 plants listed as threatened and endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act are being advertised for sale online, a university release said Thursday.

Many are being bought by groups involved in "assisted colonization" projects where species or genetic subtypes at risk of extinction are moved to non-native environments in which they might thrive, researchers say.

However, scientists say, the widespread transfer of endangered or threatened plants poses both environmental and economic risks, and they a calling for government agencies to take a leadership role to monitor relocations because of the risks associated with introducing new species.

Notre Dame biologists Patrick Shirey and Gary Lamberti point to studies reporting that damage from invasive plant species costs more than $30 billion in the United States by damaging crops, pastures and ecosystems.

Unchecked species redistribution presents dangers, they say, and they urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to better monitor the movement of plants around the world and enforce existing legislation.

"Environmental agencies and governing bodies must better enforce existing species protection laws, and establish new legal frameworks to monitor and manage this rising tide of species redistribution", Shirey says.

 BREAKING STORIES

Homeowner faces off city snow blower

Smog may lead to Milan traffic shutdown

Settlement in Florida suit affects turtles

Environmental convictions to be reviewed

Library of Congress hawk caught

Britain unveils plan to lease public woods

EU warns Britain on London air pollution

CDC: Lead poisoning linked to amulet

Cocaine tied to Colombian deforestation

Critics: Shark fishing nations fail pledge

Calls for regulation of rare-plant sales

Montreal counts record flock of crows

U.S. OKs return of wayward pelican

Charge: Coal-power pollution often deadly

Timber smuggling rife in Kashmir

Call for halt to pesticides in bee deaths

Solo McKinley climber rides out earthquake

Bird droppings cause roof collapse

Report details mercury emissions in Pa.

Man spots seal in Connecticut