The three most well known invasive species in the northern Mojave desert are the donkey, the tumbleweed, and the chukar. However, by no means are these the only invasive species found in the region. A short list includes salt cedar or tamarisk trees, giant reed, puncture vine, Russian knapweed, sweet alyssum, and common mullein. At any rate, getting back to donkeys, tumbleweed, and chukar, all three have become integrated into the landscape of the Mojave Desert and most people probably assume that they've always been part of the Mojave Desert ecosystem. Of course, this is not the case and the fact is that these three species have disrupted the ecology of the Mojave Desert in a rather conspicuous manner, displacing some species, disrupting the food chain, and even threatening the existence of some species. Most people admit that it is too late to do anything about these species and many have grown to enjoy their presence. In any case, it's best to be aware of which species are native and which are invasive, if nothing more, than for the sake of understanding the natural history of the Mojave Desert.