Invasive plants as drivers of regime shifts: identifying high‐priority invaders that alter feedback relationships
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Aim: A major challenge for invasion ecology is to identify high‐impact invaders to guide prioritization of management interventions. We argue that species with the potential to cause regime shifts (altered states of ecosystem structure and function that are difficult or impossible to reverse) should be prioritized. These are species that modify ecosystems in ways that enhance their own persistence and suppress that of native species through reinforcing feedback processes. Methods: Using both systems analysis and meta‐analysis approaches, we synthesized changes to ecosystems caused by 173 invasive plant species. For the systems analysis, we examined published studies of impacts of invasive plants to determine which presented evidence consistent with a reinforcement of feedback processes. For the meta‐analysis, we calculated the effect size ratio between standardized changes in recipient ecosystem and in the status of introduced species as an indication of a reinforcing feedback in particular species‐environment combinations. The systems analysis approach allowed us to conceptualize regime shifts in invader‐dominated landscapes and to estimate the likelihood of such changes occurring. The meta‐analysis allowed us to quantitatively verify the conceptual model and the key invader‐context feedbacks and to detect the strength and direction of feedbacks. Results: Most reinforcing feedbacks involve impacts on soil‐nutrient cycling by shrub and tree invaders in forests and herbaceous invaders in wetlands. Feedbacks resulting in regime shifts were most likely related to processes associated with seed banks, fire and nutrient cycling. Results were used to derive a key for identifying high‐impact invaders. Main conclusions: Identifying combinations of plant life‐forms and ecosystems most likely to result in regime shifts is a robust approach for predicting high‐impact invasions and therefore for prioritizing management interventions. The meta‐analysis revealed the need for more quantitative studies, including manipulative experiments, on ecosystem feedbacks.
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Invasive trees and shrubs in forests and herbaceous invaders in wetlands impact soil-nutrient cycling by modifying the composition of soil seed banks and changing fire regimes.
“Examples include impacts on soil‐nutrient cycling caused by invasive trees and shrubs in forests and by herbaceous invaders in wetlands, through modifying the composition of soil seed banks and changed fire regimes (Gaertner et al., 2014; Gioria, Jarošík, & Pyšek, 2014; Shackleton et al., 2018)”
From Scientists' warning on invasive alien species (2020) · cites this paper as Gaertner et al., 2014
The Abstract (page unavailable) reports impacts on soil-nutrient cycling by shrub and tree invaders in forests and herbaceous invaders in wetlands. It identifies seed banks and fire as other processes associated with regime shifts, but does not say that changes to seed banks or fire regimes cause the nutrient-cycling impacts attributed to those invaders. The Growth form section (page unavailable) likewise describes these as distinct impacts. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredInvasive alien species hinder ecosystem functioning and provision of ecosystem services.
“and they hinder ecosystem functioning and provision of ecosystem services (Gaertner et al., 2014; Vilà & Hulme, 2017; Castro‐Díez et al., 2019).”
From Scientists' warning on invasive alien species (2020) · cites this paper as Gaertner et al., 2014
The Introduction says some invasions fundamentally alter ecosystem functioning, with consequences for processes underpinning key ecosystem services. But it also says other invasions have little or no impact. The paper supports the claim for some invasive plants, not an unqualified statement about invasive alien species generally. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredEmerging research shows that we must address synergies in interacting drivers of invasions, synergies in impacts of multiple invaders, and species interactions resulting in invasional meltdowns and other feedbacks, as well as regime shifts, to improve our ability to predict new invasions and their impacts.
“Emerging research shows that we must address synergies in interacting drivers of invasions, synergies in impacts of multiple invaders, and species interactions resulting in invasional meltdowns and other feedbacks, as well as regime shifts (Gaertner et al., 2014), to improve our ability to predict new invasions and their impacts.”
From Scientists' warning on invasive alien species (2020) · cites this paper as Gaertner et al., 2014
Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 2 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredMany invasive alien plants modify ecosystems in ways that enhance their own persistence and suppress native species through reinforcing feedbacks, causing regime shifts.
“Many invasive alien plants modify ecosystems in ways that enhance their own persistence and suppress native species through reinforcing feedbacks, causing regime shifts (altered states of ecosystem structure and function that are difficult or impossible to reverse).”
From Scientists' warning on invasive alien species (2020) · cites this paper as Gaertner et al., 2014
The human footprint index ignores the potential for triggering ecosystem regime shifts.
“For example, it ignores the potential for triggering ecosystem regime shifts (Gaertner et al., 2014).”
From Scientists' warning on invasive alien species (2020) · cites this paper as Gaertner et al., 2014
The Discussion (page unavailable) proposes adding regime-shift risk to invasive-plant screening tools and describes the Australian Weed Risk Assessment, but it does not address the human footprint index. Searches for “human footprint index” and “footprint” found no passage assessing what that index includes or ignores. (LLM, conf=0.75)
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Scientists' warning on invasive alien species
Pyšek, P., Hulme, P. E., Simberloff, D., Bacher, S., Blackburn, T. M., Carlton, J. T., Dawson, W., Essl, F., Foxcroft, L. C., Genovesi, P., et al. (2020) · Biological Reviews · doi:10.1111/brv.12627 · Cited by 2,234 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Gaertner, M., Biggs, R., Te Beest, M., Hui, C., Molofsky, J., & Richardson, D. M.
- Affiliations
- Stellenbosch University (ZA)
- Stockholm Resilience Centre (SE)
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science Umeå University SE 901 87 Umeå Sweden
- African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (ZA)
- University of Vermont (US)
- Corresponding author
- Gaertner, Mirijam
- Venue
- Diversity and Distributions
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2014-03-03
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 733-744
- ISSN
- 0967-9952 (ISSN-L)
- 1366-9516
- 1472-4642
- OpenAlex
- W2015370985
- Cited by
- 311
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 25 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 28 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 7
- FWCI
- 22.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Diversity and Distributions (publishedVersion)
- SUNScholar (Stellenbosch University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Hans-Sigrist-Stiftung
- National Research Foundation (85417)
- Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India
- Universiteit Stellenbosch
- Ernest Oppenheimer Memorial Trust
- DST-NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology (85417)
- Division of Materials Research
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Ecosystem dynamics and resilience
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Keywords
- invasive plants, tipping points, reinforcing feedback, ecosystem management, soil nutrient cycling, seed bank, fire, plant life forms, ecosystem impacts
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