Invasive Plants’ Success Depends on Native Species Richness and Biomass
Researchers have commonly believed that more diverse habitats are less likely to be invaded due to niche/specialized occupation by species present, but recent evidence shows that invasibility is a much more complex issue and may be determined by multiple factors. For better control and management of invasive species, research must uncover the factors that contribute to habitat invasibility, degree of invasion, and species invasiveness as well as how these factors can be measured. To identify these factors, Eastern Threat Center scientists are collecting and comparing data on various habitat characteristics and invasibility from diverse ecosystems in U.S. forests and other ecosystems around the world.
Researchers’ recent observations show that species-rich communities—those with many different species—are invasible if they are in early stages of succession (development over time) and biomass is low. A community’s ability to preclude species invasions may be dependent upon a threshold level of both species richness and abundance, below which the importance of species interactions is only a weak force. Current research efforts are specifically targeted at U.S. forest ecosystems, but future comparisons among the major community types within and among geographic regions can provide new insights into invasion biology to assist scientists, resource managers, policymakers, and the general public in managing and controlling invasive species.
Right: Researchers are identifying and measuring factors that contribute to habitat invasibility, degree of invasion, and species invasiveness. Photo by U.S. Forest Service.
References:
Olatinwo, R.; Guo, Q.; Fei, S.; Otrosina, W.; Klepzig, K.D.; Streett, D. 2013. Climate-induced changes in vulnerability to biological threats in the southern United States. In: Climate change adaption and mitigation management options: A guide for natural resource managers in southern forest ecosystems. CRC Press - Taylor and Francis. pp. 127 - 172.
Forest Service Partners/Collaborators: Forest Inventory and Analysis; Pacific Northwest Research Station; Northern Research Station (Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science)
External Partners/Collaborators: Purdue University; Auburn University; Brown University; North Carolina State University; University of Washington; University of Tennessee-Knoxville; University of Nevada-Reno, University of Georgia; University of Missouri; U.S. Geological Survey; South Florida Water Management District; Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of California-Berkeley; USGS-EROS Data Center; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv); University of Hong Kong; Taiwan National University; Biota of North America Program
Contact: Qinfeng Guo
