PJB-2020-452
A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF ECOLOGICAL STUDIES ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF INVASIVE SPECIES ON NATIVE ONES: DRIVERS, BACK-SEAT DRIVERS, OR PASSENGERS?
Jie Ren
Abstract
Aim: The role of invasive species on community and ecosystem changes has been highly controversial. A systematic review was conducted to understand what has been done in the past to evaluate whether invasive species are drivers, back-seat drivers or passengers affecting native species, and consider the strength of the evidence in favor of one or the other mode of impact. Location: Global. Methods: A total of 790 publications on the topic were obtained by conducting a systematic review based on a search of the Web of Science. Papers had to meet pre-determined four criteria to be included in the review. After the screening and refining processes, 72 papers matched the prescribed criteria. Relevant information, such as the study sites, species, ecosystem traits, and other features of the studies, was extracted from these papers to describe the nature of field studies on this topic. Results: There were 35, 12, and 9 papers meeting the search criteria that identify the invasive species as either drivers, passengers, or back-seat drivers of the decline of native species, respectively. The remaining 16 papers demonstrated that invasive species had mixed roles in their impacts on native communities. Main conclusions: Depending on the circumstances, invasive species have been found to act as drivers, passengers, back-seat drivers, or mixed roles, and their roles may change over time. Most studies were of short duration, conducted in North America, and on grasslands and forests. Understanding the role of invasive species is critical for effective ecosystem management.
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