Exotic Plants in Eastern Asia and North America: Using Regional Comparisons to Test Hypotheses about Invasion Success

Illinois State Museum Society, Springfield IL

Investigators

Abstract

Biological invasions pose a major threat to biodiversity and the economic value of natural and agricultural ecosystems. In spite of widespread concern, ecologists still have a poor understanding of the mechanisms of spread of invasive species. Comparisons of distributions of introduced species in native and exotic areas with respect to climate and life history traits can provide insights into the mechanisms of biological invasions. Reciprocal exchange of plants between eastern Asia (EAS) and North America (NAM) has increased dramatically since the early 1980s. In this project, a unique, comprehensive database on exotic species in EAS and NAM will be used to characterize the geographic extent and propensity of introduced species to become invasive, relative invasion success, associated biological traits, and parallels in the distributions and characteristics of species in their native and exotic regions. The results from this project will inform invasive species control not only in EAS and NAM but also in other continents. Increased ability to identify invasive species and to understand the mechanisms of large-scale invasion processes will be critical to developing early warning/detecting systems and effective control and management. The proposed research will provide training to undergraduate and graduate students and stimulate broad collaborations between the USA and eastern Asian countries on research into biological invasions.