Forest ecosystems are considered integral to maintaining biodiversity, livelihoods, carbon capture capacity, and providing other important ecosystem services to sustain life on the planet. In many regions of the world, measures for managing invasive alien plant species are either in place or still being developed. Evidence shows that the abundance of invasive alien plants has risen in forest ecosystems due to global climate change and the ability of these plants to adapt to adverse conditions. Even conservation areas have been invaded, and regions that have not yet been affected may be invaded in the near future due to global environmental change and distribution pathways related to international trade.Invasive alien plants have contributed to the destruction and suppression of indigenous species (flora and fauna), the disruption of ecosystem services (such as water resources), and the reduction of forest biodiversity. This has increased forest disturbances (e.g., pest and disease outbreaks, fire, and flooding) and altered species competition in forest ecosystems. Hence, integrated efforts are needed to address the expanding invasive alien plant populations that affect forest ecosystems.To achieve sustainable forest management and the Sustainable Development Goals, it is critical to prevent deterioration of forest ecosystems owing to invasive plant species. As a result, an ecosystem approach is required to prioritize a focus on the invasive species and areas to be managed. In doing so, a variety of ecosystem services (such as water resources and land productivity) can be protected, biodiversity can be preserved, and jobs can be created through mitigation activities.The aim of this Research Topic is to look at recent developments in invasive alien plant management and the resulting impacts on forest biodiversity and the provisioning of ecosystem services. This Research Topic aims to increase our understanding of these scientific advances and breakthroughs, and their impacts on forests around the world.We welcome submissions of original research articles, case studies, opinion papers, short-communication, methods, reviews, and perspective papers on (but not limited to) the following subtopics:• Invasive alien plant management in forests• Invasiveness (e.g., abundance and density) of invasive alien plants in forests• Forest biodiversity and ecosystem services• Invasive plant species biomass utilization from forests• Invasive alien plant control and methods for sustainable forest management• Enablers, thresholds, and remaining challenges in forest invasive alien plant management.
Forest ecosystems are considered integral to maintaining biodiversity, livelihoods, carbon capture capacity, and providing other important ecosystem services to sustain life on the planet. In many regions of the world, measures for managing invasive alien plant species are either in place or still being developed. Evidence shows that the abundance of invasive alien plants has risen in forest ecosystems due to global climate change and the ability of these plants to adapt to adverse conditions. Even conservation areas have been invaded, and regions that have not yet been affected may be invaded in the near future due to global environmental change and distribution pathways related to international trade.Invasive alien plants have contributed to the destruction and suppression of indigenous species (flora and fauna), the disruption of ecosystem services (such as water resources), and the reduction of forest biodiversity. This has increased forest disturbances (e.g., pest and disease outbreaks, fire, and flooding) and altered species competition in forest ecosystems. Hence, integrated efforts are needed to address the expanding invasive alien plant populations that affect forest ecosystems.To achieve sustainable forest management and the Sustainable Development Goals, it is critical to prevent deterioration of forest ecosystems owing to invasive plant species. As a result, an ecosystem approach is required to prioritize a focus on the invasive species and areas to be managed. In doing so, a variety of ecosystem services (such as water resources and land productivity) can be protected, biodiversity can be preserved, and jobs can be created through mitigation activities.The aim of this Research Topic is to look at recent developments in invasive alien plant management and the resulting impacts on forest biodiversity and the provisioning of ecosystem services. This Research Topic aims to increase our understanding of these scientific advances and breakthroughs, and their impacts on forests around the world.We welcome submissions of original research articles, case studies, opinion papers, short-communication, methods, reviews, and perspective papers on (but not limited to) the following subtopics:• Invasive alien plant management in forests• Invasiveness (e.g., abundance and density) of invasive alien plants in forests• Forest biodiversity and ecosystem services• Invasive plant species biomass utilization from forests• Invasive alien plant control and methods for sustainable forest management• Enablers, thresholds, and remaining challenges in forest invasive alien plant management.