The Population Biology of Invasive Species

TLDR

Population biology offers tools to understand and manage invasiveness, with invasive species providing a natural laboratory for studying evolutionary and ecological processes that drive establishment and spread. The study aims to use life‑history and demographic modeling together with genetic diversity and evolutionary analyses to identify key stages and dynamics that influence invasion success and guide management. The authors employ life‑history and demographic modeling alongside genetic diversity and evolutionary analyses to investigate invasion processes.

Abstract

▪ 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 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.