The Interactions Between Invasive Species and Resident Communities Under Environmental Change

Exotic species invasion can inhibit the growth of native species, replace native species, reduce biodiversity, alter ecosystem processes, and affect ecosystem functions. Exotic invasion also causes major economic losses. The ability of exotic species to establish and invade varies greatly among species and communities. Nowadays, most published studies focus on two main questions: What species traits distinguish successful from unsuccessful invaders? And what types of ecological communities are most resistant to invasions? However, the ability of introduced species to establish, naturalize or invade is influenced by the interactions among inherent features of the species and recipient ecosystems, and factors associated with environmental change. So far, studies on the interactions between invasive species and resident communities under environmental change are still limited and how environmental change affects the invasion process in resident communities is largely unknown.

This research topic aims to provide an in-depth analysis and comprehensive overview of the mechanisms underlying successful invasions into resident communities and the invasion resistance of resident communities to exotic species under environmental changes. It also aims to investigate the impacts of single or multiple species invasion(s) on biodiversity, community composition, and ecosystems functions, and reveal the underlying mechanisms.

We welcome Original Research on the following topics of interest (the list is not exhaustive):
• The effects of global change and environmental pollution on the interactions between invasive species and resident communities.
• The effects of human activities and disturbances on the interactions between invasive species and resident communities.
• The role of herbivores, microorganisms and allelopathy in the interactions between invasive species and resident communities.
• The interactions between invasive species and resident communities at different successional stages; the effects of successional changes in community composition on the invasion process.
• The role of functional traits, niche and biodiversity in the interactions between invasive species and resident communities.
• Multiple simultaneous invasions into resident communities and their effects on ecosystem functions.

Keywords: biological invasion, community invasibility, biodiversity, global change, functional traits

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.