Plant Invasions in Mountains: Global Lessons for Better Management

McDougall, Keith L.; Khuroo, Anzar A.; Loope, Lloyd L.; Parks, Catherine G.; Pauchard, Aníbal; Reshi, Zafar A.; Rushworth, Ian; Kueffer, Christoph

doi:10.1659/mrd-journal-d-11-00082.1

Cited by 83 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 26 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…These activities provide an opportunity for increased propagule pressure of non‐native species in high elevation areas, as well as for disturbances that may promote invasion (Pauchard et al., ). Higher elevations are also predicted to experience greater impacts from climate warming (McDougall et al., ), which may further promote the upward expansion of non‐native species. Indeed, with increasing human expansion and ongoing climate warming, more opportunities are being created for non‐native species to spread into higher elevations (Barni, Bacaro, Falzoi, Spanna, & Siniscalco, ; le Roux et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A global analysis of elevational distribution of non‐native versus native plants

Guo

Fei

Shen

et al. 2018

Journal of Biogeography

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aim Much is known about the elevational diversity patterns of native species and about the mechanisms that drive these patterns. A similar level of understanding is needed for non‐native species. Using published data, we examine elevational diversity patterns of non‐native plants and compare the resulting patterns with those observed for native plants. Location Global. Methods We compiled data from 65 case studies on elevational diversity patterns of non‐native plants around the world (including 32 cases in which both non‐native and native plants were sampled). We compared the elevational distributions (upper and lower limits, and extents) and diversity patterns of non‐native and native species. Results Compared to native plant species, the elevational diversity patterns of non‐native plant species were more negative (47% vs. 13%) and less unimodal (44% vs. 84%). That is, non‐native species richness tended to be highest at lower elevations, whereas native species richness peaked at mid‐elevations. In cases where species richness for both non‐native and native species on the same mountains showed unimodal patterns in relation to elevation, maximum values in species richness occurred at lower elevations for non‐native species. Main conclusions At present levels of invasion, non‐native and native species show different patterns in both distribution and diversity along elevational gradients worldwide. However, our observations constitute a snapshot of ongoing, long‐term invasion processes. As non‐native species typically show strong associations with human activities, future changes in human population (e.g. growth and migration), land use and climate change may promote upward spread of non‐native species and may thus increase risks of impact on native species and communities.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A global analysis of elevational distribution of non‐native versus native plants

Guo

Fei

Shen

et al. 2018

Journal of Biogeography

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…), where few non‐native species occur, and these rarely become abundant or negatively affect ecosystems and biodiversity (McDougall et al. , Kueffer et al. ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Will climate change increase the risk of plant invasions into mountains?

Petitpierre

McDougall

Seipel

et al. 2016

Ecological Applications

Self Cite

128

112

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

1Mountain ecosystems have been less adversely affected by invasions of non-native plants than 2 most other ecosystems, partially because most invasive plants in the lowlands are limited by 3 climate and cannot grow under harsher high-elevation conditions. However, with ongoing 4 climate change, invasive species may rapidly move upwards and threaten mid, and then high 5 elevation mountain ecosystems. We evaluated this threat by modeling the current and future 6 habitat suitability for 48 invasive plant species in Switzerland and New South Wales, Australia. 7Both regions had contrasting climate interactions with elevation, resulting in possible different 8 responses of species distributions to climate change. Using a species distribution modeling 9 approach that combines data from two spatial scales, we built high-resolution species distribution 10 models (≤ 250 m) that account for the global climatic niche of species and also finer variables 11 depicting local climate and disturbances. We found that different environmental drivers limit the 12 elevation range of invasive species in each of the two regions, leading to region-specific species 13 responses to climate change. The optimal suitability for plant invaders is predicted to markedly 14 shift from the lowland to the montane or subalpine zone in Switzerland, whereas the upward shift 15 is far less pronounced in New South Wales where montane and subalpine elevations are already 16 suitable. The results suggest that species most likely to invade high elevations in Switzerland 17 will be cold-tolerant, whereas species with an affinity to moist soils are most likely to invade 18 higher elevations in Australia. Other plant traits were only marginally associated with elevation 19limits. These results demonstrate that a more systematic consideration of future distributions of 20 invasive species is required in conservation plans of not yet invaded mountainous ecosystems. 21

show abstract

“…Plant invasions in mountains have been increasing significantly in the last decades, and are expected to expand higher up in elevation towards alpine and nival ecosystems under predicted scenarios of global change (Pauchard et al , , McDougall et al , Pyšek et al , Angelo and Daehler ). These ecosystems – especially those in cold high‐latitude regions – are however currently still relatively free from non‐native plant species (Pauchard et al , Lembrechts et al , Zefferman et al ), although a recent global review reported a total of 183 distinct non‐native species from the alpine areas of 15 mountain regions (Alexander et al ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Microclimate variability in alpine ecosystems as stepping stones for non‐native plant establishment above their current elevational limit

et al. 2017

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Alpine environments are currently relatively free from non‐native plant species, although their presence and abundance have recently been on the rise. It is however still unclear whether the observed low invasion levels in these areas are due to an inherent resistance of the alpine zone to invasions or whether an exponential increase in invasion is just a matter of time. Using a seed‐addition experiment on north‐ and south‐facing slopes (cf. microclimatic gradient) on two mountains in subarctic Sweden, we tested the establishment of six non‐native species at an elevation above their current distribution limits and under experimentally enhanced anthropogenic pressures (disturbance, added nutrients and increased propagule pressure). We found a large microclimatic variability in cumulative growing degree days (GDD) (range = 500.77°C, SD = 120.70°C) due to both physiographic (e.g. aspect) and biophysical (e.g. vegetation cover) features, the latter being altered by the experimental disturbance. Non‐native species establishment and biomass production were positively correlated with GDD along the studied microclimatic gradient. However, even though establishment on the north‐facing slopes caught up with that on the south‐facing slopes throughout the growing season, biomass production was limited on the north‐facing slopes due to a shorter growing season. On top of this microclimatic effect, all experimentally imposed anthropogenic factors enhanced non‐native species success. The observed microclimatic effect indicates a potential for non‐native species to use warm microsites as stepping stones for their establishment towards the cold end of the gradient. Combined with anthropogenic pressures this result suggests an increasing risk for plant invasion in cold ecosystems, as such stepping stones in alpine ecosystems are likely to be more common in a future that will combine a warming climate with persistent anthropogenic pressures.

show abstract

Plant Invasions in Mountains: Global Lessons for Better Management

Cited by 83 publications

References 26 publications

A global analysis of elevational distribution of non‐native versus native plants

A global analysis of elevational distribution of non‐native versus native plants

Will climate change increase the risk of plant invasions into mountains?

Microclimate variability in alpine ecosystems as stepping stones for non‐native plant establishment above their current elevational limit

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About