Many species in the family Pinaceae are invaders. These species are relatively easy to control because of some of their intrinsic characteristics and because they are highly visible and easy to eliminate. Many Pinaceae species have been well studied because of their use in forestry and their invasive behavior in many countries. The impacts of invasive Pinaceae are not only ecological, but also economic and social. We review the ecology and management of Pinaceae invasions and explore how restoration of invaded areas should be addressed. There are many ways to prevent invasions and to deal with them. Planting less invasive species, better site selection, and invasion monitoring are used successfully in different parts of the world to prevent invasion. Mechanical and chemical methods are used effectively to control Pinaceae invasions. Control is more effective at the early stages of invasion. Old invasions are more problematic as their elimination is more expensive, and the restoration of native vegetation is challenging. In some areas, native vegetation cannot thrive after Pinaceae have been removed, and weeds colonize cleared areas. More attention is needed to prevent the initiation and spread of invasions by focusing control

Summary Belowground biota can deeply influence plant invasion. The presence of appropriate soil mutualists can act as a driver to enable plants to colonize new ranges. We reviewed the species of ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) that facilitate pine establishment in both native and non‐native ranges, and that are associated with their invasion into nonforest settings. We found that one particular group of EMF, suilloid fungi, uniquely drive pine invasion in the absence of other EMF. Although the association with other EMF is variable, suilloid EMF are always associated with invasive pines, particularly at early invasion, when invasive trees are most vulnerable. We identified five main ecological traits of suilloid fungi that may explain their key role at pine invasions: their long‐distance dispersal capacity, the establishment of positive biotic interactions with mammals, their capacity to generate a resistant spore bank, their rapid colonization of roots and their long‐distance exploration type. These results suggest that the identity of mycorrhizal fungi and their ecological interactions, rather than simply the presence of compatible fungi, are key to the understanding of plant invasion processes and their success or failure. Particularly for pines, their specific association with suilloid fungi determines their invasion success in previously uninvaded ecosystems.

Temperate and boreal forests are increasingly suffering from anthropic degradation. Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) are symbionts with most temperate and boreal forest trees, providing their hosts with soil nutrients and water in exchange for plant carbon. This group of fungi is involved in woody plants' survival and growth and helps plants tolerate harsh environmental conditions. Here, we describe the current understanding of how EMF can benefit temperate and boreal forest restoration projects. We review current evidence on promising restoration plans that actively use EMF in sites contaminated with heavy metals, affected by soil erosion, and degraded due to clearcut logging and wildfire. We discuss the potential role of this group of fungi for restoring sites invaded by non-native plant species. Additionally, we explore limitations, knowledge gaps, and possible undesired outcomes of the use of EMF in forest restoration, and we suggest how to further incorporate this fungal group into forest management. We conclude that considering EMF-host interactions could improve the chances of success of future restoration programs in boreal and temperate forests.

Hoeksema et al. Ecosystem Consequences of Ectomycorrhizal Invasions controlled laboratory experiments. Finally, we illustrate how ecosystem modeling can be used to link fungal traits to their consequences for ecosystem N and C cycling in the context of biological invasions, and we highlight exciting avenues for future directions in understanding EM invasion.