The Population Biology of Invasive Species

Abstract

Contributions from the field of population biology hold promise for understanding and managing invasiveness; invasive species also offer excellent opportunities to study basic processes in population biology. Life history studies and demographic models may be valuable for examining the introduction of invasive species and identifying life history stages where management will be most effective. Evolutionary processes may be key features in determining whether invasive species establish and spread. Studies of genetic diversity and evolutionary changes should be useful for 0066-4162/01/1215-0305$14.00 305 Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 2001.32:305-332. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org by NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY on 09/26/12. For personal use only. 306 SAKAI ET AL.understanding the potential for colonization and establishment, geographic patterns of invasion and range expansion, lag times, and the potential for evolutionary responses to novel environments, including management practices. The consequences of biological invasions permit study of basic evolutionary processes, as invaders often evolve rapidly in response to novel abiotic and biotic conditions, and native species evolve in response to the invasion.

Population dependent effects of photoperiod on diapause related physiological traits in an invasive beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata)

“…Even though introductions are fairly common, only a small fraction of species successfully establish themselves in the novel environment (Williamsson & Fitter 1996, Jeschke & Strayer 2006. However, species which do succeed in their invasion often display remarkable growth and expansion (Sakai et al 2001). There are several postulated reasons for this.…”

“…There are several postulated reasons for this. One relates to the species showing some important pre-adaptation in life-history or stress tolerance traits (Thebaud et al 1996, Reichard & Hamilton 1997, Kolar and Lodge 2001, Sakai et al 2001), for instance due to adaptations to large seasonal disturbances in their native range (Winkler et al 2008). Another reason is high evolvability or plasticity in life-history or stress tolerance traits (Lee andPetersen 2003, Lee et al 2003).…”

“…Alternatively, already disturbed habitats with low species number might hold open ecological niches, where invasive species face scarce competition (see Elton 1958, Sax et al 2005. Since many invasive species have negative impact on the invaded habitat, there is often a direct applied value for understanding the evolutionary ecological dynamics of species persistence and spread probability in the novel habitat (Elton 1958, Sakai et al 2001. However, studies on organisms which are in the process of rapidly expanding their range can provide valuable information on the evolutionary ecological mechanisms of range expansion (Yoshida et al 2007, Fauverge et al 2012) since they represent species rapidly expanding their range margin into novel selection pressures, for instance along a latitudinal axis (Elton 1958, Gaston 2003).…”

“…Successful invasion to a novel environment might require that the invading species is able to match its life-history with novel biotic and abiotic requirements in the invaded environment (Elton 1958, Sax et al 2005 or alternatively, is capable of avoiding adverse conditions through behavior (Sakai et al 2001, Duckworth 2009, Wright et al 2010, Phillips & Suarez 2012. Lipid content and RMR, two important physiological traits involved in pre-diapause development (Hahn & Denlinger 2007), were analyzed in connection to burrowing behavior from individual beetles.…”

Ecological Impacts of Genetically Modified Crops: Ten Years of Field Research and Commercial Cultivation

“…Invasions have been recognized in a growing number of environments as being serious threats to the preservation of what we choose (by our choice of time scale) to be regarded as native fauna and flora [118][119][120]. Although the great majority of accidental introductions undoubtedly failed to become established, a substantial number became established, and some of these became serious pests [121].…”