Assessing the mechanisms and impacts of shrub invasion in forests: A meta‐analysis

作者：Laís Petri, Inés Ibáñez · 发表于：Journal of Applied Ecology · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.1111/1365-2664.14496 · 被引用次数：15 · 研究领域：Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies、Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies、Forest Management and Policy

Abstract The encroachment of invasive shrubs in forest understories can have detrimental effects on native plant recruitment. As a result, removal of invasive species is a common practice although long‐lasting success is rare. In order to effectively conserve and manage invaded forests, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms that drive shrub invasion, that is, high propagule pressure, low native resistance and exploitation of empty niches. To gain a deeper understanding of the invasion process in forest ecosystems we conducted a meta‐analysis of the work done in this topic. We collected data on invasive species and native community performance, and on the abiotic conditions of forest understories under low and high levels of shrub invasion. We analysed data from 124 articles that yielded 377 unique observations. Our results revealed that while invader performance did not vary by the mechanism of invasion, the impact on the native community was significantly detrimental when invasion occurred via low biotic resistance, and only marginally significant via propagule pressure. Invasive species performance was associated with increases in light availability, but not with other resources (soil water or nutrients). When assessing impact on native performance as a function of invasive performance, results were again only significant under the low biotic resistance mechanism. Lastly, impacts were stronger when invasion took place by a single invader. Synthesis and applications . T...