A nature-positive future with biological invasions: theory, decision support and research needs

Abstract

In 2050, most areas of biodiversity significance will be heavily influenced by multiple drivers of environmental change. This includes overlap with the introduced ranges of many alien species that negatively impact biodiversity. With the decline in biodiversity and increase in all forms of global change, the need to envision the desired qualities of natural systems in the Anthropocene is growing, as is the need to actively maintain their natural values. Here, we draw on community ecology and invasion biology to (i) better understand trajectories of change in communities with a mix of native and alien populations, and (ii) to frame approaches to the stewardship of these mixed-species communities. We provide a set of premises and actions upon which a nature-positive future with biological invasions (NPF-BI) could be based, and a decision framework for dealing with uncertain species movements under climate change. A series of alternative management approaches become apparent when framed by scale-sensitive, spatially explicit, context relevant and risk-consequence considerations. Evidence of the properties of mixed-species communities together with predictive frameworks for the relative importance of the ecological processes at play provide actionable pathways to a NPF in which the reality of mixed-species communities are accommodated and managed. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Ecological novelty and planetary stewardship: biodiversity dynamics in a transforming biosphere’.

Navigating ecological novelty towards planetary stewardship: challenges and opportunities in biodiversity dynamics in a transforming biosphere

“…The latter dynamic is intensifying and is expected to continue doing so in the future [41], already leading to accelerating changes to biotic assemblages [19]. As mixed native and alien species (mixed-species) communities are here to stay in the Anthropocene and are likely to become ever more prevalent [41], a key challenge towards achieving a nature-positive future is how to design the management of mixed-species communities to support positive and avoid negative effects, as discussed here by McGeoch et al [42]. This is an analogous challenge to developing appropriate…”

“…Including regeneration processes in models -Luu et al [53] Indicators of invasion impact -Henriksen et al [63] Ancient DNA assemblage reconstruction -Alsos et al [62] Species Assemblage Ecosystem Humans Focus Modelling range change -Zurrell et al [36] Understanding and managing novel communities -McGeoch et al [17] Macroecology to study resilience -Enquist et al [23] Soil-climate interactions constrain species distributions -Ni & Vellend [37] Past climate effects on current biodiversity -Fastovich et al [29] Functioning and stewardship of emerging novel ecosystems Integrating people into understanding, forecasting, and management of the dynamics of novel ecosystems management responses to the dynamics driven by human-induced climate change [40], which will also require new thinking relative to conventional conservation paradigms, notably adapting to inevitable change and facilitating dynamics towards net positive biodiversity outcomes. In both cases, our understanding of current and future communities can be advanced by considering the six fundamental processes identified for community biology: dispersal, drift, abiotic interactions, within-guild interactions, crossguild interactions and genetic changes [42,43]. Considering both alien species and species tracking human-induced climate change-neonatives sensu Essl et al [44]-decisions on management approaches can be informed by species' movement potential and expected impact in their novel range [42] alongside feasibility considerations.…”

“…As mixed native and alien species (mixed-species) communities are here to stay in the Anthropocene and are likely to become ever more prevalent [ 41 ], a key challenge towards achieving a nature-positive future is how to design the management of mixed-species communities to support positive and avoid negative effects, as discussed here by McGeoch et al . [ 42 ]. This is an analogous challenge to developing appropriate management responses to the dynamics driven by human-induced climate change [ 40 ], which will also require new thinking relative to conventional conservation paradigms, notably adapting to inevitable change and facilitating dynamics towards net positive biodiversity outcomes.…”

“…This is an analogous challenge to developing appropriate management responses to the dynamics driven by human-induced climate change [ 40 ], which will also require new thinking relative to conventional conservation paradigms, notably adapting to inevitable change and facilitating dynamics towards net positive biodiversity outcomes. In both cases, our understanding of current and future communities can be advanced by considering the six fundamental processes identified for community biology: dispersal, drift, abiotic interactions, within-guild interactions, cross-guild interactions and genetic changes [ 42 , 43 ]. Considering both alien species and species tracking human-induced climate change—neonatives sensu Essl et al [ 44 ]—decisions on management approaches can be informed by species' movement potential and expected impact in their novel range [ 42 ] alongside feasibility considerations.…”

“…In both cases, our understanding of current and future communities can be advanced by considering the six fundamental processes identified for community biology: dispersal, drift, abiotic interactions, within-guild interactions, cross-guild interactions and genetic changes [ 42 , 43 ]. Considering both alien species and species tracking human-induced climate change—neonatives sensu Essl et al [ 44 ]—decisions on management approaches can be informed by species' movement potential and expected impact in their novel range [ 42 ] alongside feasibility considerations. Many alien species have little ecological impact, while some even provide positive impacts.…”