Ecological impacts of invasive alien plants: a meta-analysis of their effects on species, communities and ecosystems
Open accessAbstract
Biological invasions cause ecological and economic impacts across the globe. However, it is unclear whether there are strong patterns in terms of their major effects, how the vulnerability of different ecosystems varies and which ecosystem services are at greatest risk. We present a global meta-analysis of 199 articles reporting 1041 field studies that in total describe the impacts of 135 alien plant taxa on resident species, communities and ecosystems. Across studies, alien plants had a significant effect in 11 of 24 different types of impact assessed. The magnitude and direction of the impact varied both within and between different types of impact. On average, abundance and diversity of the resident species decreased in invaded sites, whereas primary production and several ecosystem processes were enhanced. While alien N-fixing species had greater impacts on N-cycling variables, they did not consistently affect other impact types. The magnitude of the impacts was not significantly different between island and mainland ecosystems. Overall, alien species impacts are heterogeneous and not unidirectional even within particular impact types. Our analysis also reveals that by the time changes in nutrient cycling are detected, major impacts on plant species and communities are likely to have already occurred.
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Invasive alien species affect native species richness and abundance.
“Invasive alien species break down biogeographic realms, affect native species richness and abundance, increase the risk of native species extinction, affect the genetic composition of native populations, change native animal behaviour, alter phylogenetic diversity across communities, and modify trophic networks.”
From Scientists' warning on invasive alien species (2020) · cites this paper as Vilà et al., 2011
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- Authors
- Vilà, M., Espinar, J. L., Hejda, M., Hulme, P. E., Jarošík, V., Maron, J. L., Pergl, J., Schaffner, U., Sun, Y., & Pyšek, P.
- Affiliations
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES)
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (ES)
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany (CZ)
- Lincoln University (NZ)
- University of Montana (US)
- University of Bern (CH)
- CABI Switzerland (CH)
- Charles University (CZ)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Ecology Letters
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2011-05-19
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 702-708
- ISSN
- 1461-023X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2116964561
- Cited by
- 3,068
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 171 · 2025: 214 · 2024: 222 · 2023: 241 · 2022: 241 · 2021: 272 · 2020: 269 · 2019: 270 · 2018: 225 · 2017: 221 · 2016: 188 · 2015: 156 · 2014: 164 · 2013: 116 · 2012: 75
- FWCI
- 7.05
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- Locations
- Ecology Letters (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ASEP (submittedVersion, public-domain)
- DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Keywords
- invasive alien plants, biological invasions, primary production, ecosystem processes, nitrogen cycling, nitrogen-fixing plants, ecosystem services, ecosystem vulnerability
- MeSH terms
- Geography, Plants, Population Density, Population Dynamics, Ecosystem, Biodiversity, Introduced Species
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