As time goes on, invasive species spread farther across the globe and cause damage to both the environment and the economy. 

One such species is the Obama flatworm, which has been spotted for the first time on the British Channel island of Alderney, the BBC reported.

What's happening?

The Obama flatworm has nothing to do with the former U.S. president. Instead, it comes from the south of Brazil and Argentina, and the name is derived from the Brazilian Tupi words for leaf (oba) and animal (ma). 

As the name suggests, it is a roughly leaf-shaped worm with a dark back and a pale underside that reaches up to about four inches in length. Its egg capsules are black and under a quarter inch in size.

This species has been invasive in many parts of Europe since it was first reported on the continent in 2008, but this year, for the first time, it has been spotted on Alderney, the northernmost of the inhabited Channel Islands.

Why is the Obama flatworm concerning?

The problem with invasive species is not just their presence in the new environment, but the way they interact with the existing ecosystem. 

They don't just join the existing food chain. Because they have no natural predators in the new environment, and because the local wildlife has not evolved to compete with them, invasives can become wildly successful and start crowding out or killing off native species.

That is the case with the Obama flatworm, which eats native earthworms. If that doesn't sound like a big deal, think again: earthworms are crucial to soil health, and without them, many types of organic matter won't decompose properly — not to mention the impact on the growth of plants in the area. 

Meanwhile, many other species rely on earthworms as a food source, so if the flatworms eat too many, a whole array of small mammals and birds could also be endangered. The total impact could extend to both wild areas and agricultural ones.

What's being done about Obama flatworms?

U.K. officials are asking residents who see Obama flatworms to report them with a precise location and, if possible, a photo. 

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To limit their spread, officials are also asking that gardeners in the area check their tools and the soil around new plants for these flatworms and their eggs. If an area is known to be infested, gardeners should not give or receive plants from there, even if they believe them to be free of worms. 

Infected potted plants should be treated by immersing them fully — around and over the root ball — in water over 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) for 40 minutes.

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