Science Research Paper My project is about Invasive species of the Chihuahuan desert, which is located in Mexico and extends to southern Arizona through southern New Mexico and part of west Texas. I chose this project because I didn’t have a project and my teacher chose it for me, although it is an interesting topic. Before I start the project however; it is wise to do some research in order to gain a head start. Since my project is about, well invasive species, I should do some research on organisms that were brought here, native to elsewhere, and have dominated. Organisms such as plants and animals. Another thing I will research is native species, and what relationship they have with the new species, such as mutualism, commensalism, etc. One important aspect I will include in my research is why these species were brought over, for example is it to control an overpopulating species? One major invasive plant species is the Larrea tridentata, a genus of evergreen shrubs. It has literally taken over, and can be found in large groups in the Chihuahuan desert. The Larrea tridentata has an ability to inhibit the growing of other plants and gain more water, which makes it easier for the plant to invade plants and spread to other places rapidly. Scientists think the origin of this plant originated from the Salt River, Arizona, which is on the very western edge of the Chihuahuan Desert. Because the plant is able to spread so quickly, it has now taken over most of the desert. This plant is very common here now, and you can easily spot it in the desert. It looks like a dried up tree without the trunk, and it usually has a moderate amount of yellow-green leaves at the tips of the branches. Another major invasive plant is the Tamarix, also known as the Salt Cedar. This plant is from Eurasia and Africa, but brought over to the Chihuahuan desert in the 1800’s, after the water resources of the desert started depleting. This plant is a “cover-up” for the dried up water basins and ponds. If you take a jog around the Rio Grande, which runs through the Chihuahuan Desert, you may see these plants growing along the side, and they are usually very big with small leaves, and they’re usually a light green with a yellow hue. The Oyrx gazella gazella, most commonly known as the Exotic Gemsbok, was introduced to the White Sands Missile Range in 1969 to provide game for more hunting opportunities. These animals were originally native to Southern Africa, which has an arid climate. Despite being hunted for game, the gemspok continues to grow, at around 600-700 new gemspok per year. The population growth, though, is not the real problem. In 2001 a group of scientists surveyed 50 gemspok for any diseases, and the results were horrific. Their studies showed that 98% had Catarrhal Fever Virus, 96% had blue-tongue virus, 66% had respirtory syncytial virus, and 20% had parainfluenza virus. The fact that so many of the gemspok had virus’ led to the worry about the recovery of many species of animals, such as the bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis mexicana) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus crooki). The Ibex, Oryx gazella, was also introduced for the same reason as the Oryx, for hunting purposes. They were brought over and were only expected to stay in the Tularosa Basin Area, with a population of about 500. After several years, the population of the Oryx boomed, and soon they would be found everywhere, from Albuquerque to West Texas. These animals have become a pest to home owners living in the