Toward “Rules” for Studying Biological Invasions

OUP accepted manuscript

“…Because physiology directly links environmental conditions with fitness and behaviour of an individual, inferences based on physiological characteristics are highly robust to extrapolation to novel habitats ( Horodysky et al , 2015 ). Physiology-based approaches, therefore, are increasingly being prioritized in research on invasive species ( Augustine et al , 2014 ; Myles-Gonzalez et al , 2015 ; Meyerson et al , 2019 ; Hasenei et al , 2020 ). In this study, we used macro-physiological and life-history traits to investigate the invasion potential of blue catfish.…”

“…A portion of these non-native species become invasive with devastating ecological and economic impacts ( Lockwood et al , 2013 ). Establishment success and impacts of such species depend, in part, on their physiological abilities and limitations ( Lennox et al , 2015 ; Meyerson et al , 2019 ). In particular, the energetic requirements and responses of non-native fish to variable food regimes directly influence their role and trophic impacts in novel ecosystems.…”

Double trouble: the implications of climate change for biological invasions

“…The accurate forecasting of invasions, their rate of spread and potential range in novel regions are key requirements for effective management of invasions (Meyerson et al 2019). Ecological niche models are a commonly applied predictive tool that use species traits (e.g.…”

“…Unfortunately, models inherently become more accurate as species move towards occupying their full niche, but the predictive and applied value of models in such late stages of invasion are limited. Nonetheless, applying a mechanistic approach underpinned by a knowledge of physiology and life history traits where data allows can increase the value of predictive models (Meyerson et al 2019).…”

Six central questions about biological invasions to which NEON data science is poised to contribute

“…Despite the challenges presented by invasive species and their global importance in research and ecosystem management, improvements in our fundamental understanding of invasion biology are still needed to better ascertain their potential spread and impacts. It is particularly important to develop approaches that integrate information across temporal and spatial scales (Meyerson et al 2019).…”