Plant invasion across space and time: Factors affecting success and impacts of invasive plants

Background/Question/Methods

Plant invasions can alter ecosystem processes, threaten native species, and destroy wealth.  A variety of conceptual frameworks identify the general processes responsible for patterns of plant invasion.  I will present a framework that examines four well-established spatiotemporal stages of the invasion process: transport, colonization, establishment, and landscape spread. A large and growing body of research suggests that plant invasions are controlled by a series of key “filters” that limit invasion success. The framework that I will discuss can serve as a tool to organize findings and ideas about these filters, and the interaction of these filters with historical aspects of introduction events, plant traits, and ecosystem properties.  These filters play roles in all invasion events, and interact throughout the stages of plant invasion, although the relative importance of a filter may depend on the stage, species, or location.

Results/Conclusions

Recent research suggests that plant traits can provide important information that can be incorporated into this conceptual framework; this information can help explain patterns of invasive species impact, as well as patterns of abundance.  Frameworks such as this can be used to explore interactions between invasions and other environmental changes, and to structure comprehensive strategies for research and management programs.