Can the “exoticity” of plant species be predicted?

Plant species, when transported to regions outside their natural habitat, can become exotic, establishing populations that reproduce and spread quickly. This phenomenon, complex and influenced by several factors, has been the subject of study by scientists around the world, who seek to predict and manage possible plant invasions.

Recently, an international team of researchers, made up of scientists from the University of Seville and the University of León, in Spain, the University of Adelaide, in Australia, and the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), also in Spain, published a study in the journal NeoBiota. In it, they present a new framework for identifying predictors of invasiveness.

The study comes in a context in which, despite current policies exerting strong control over the import and export of living organisms, many species have been translocated to new regions without due consideration of their potential impacts. An example of this is the massive exchange of plants between regions with a Mediterranean climate, a consequence of European colonialism.

The research focused on species that either succeeded or failed to establish themselves in foreign regions after following similar historical introduction routes. According to Javier Galán Díaz of the University of Seville, "only those that have successfully invaded other regions have something different about them that allowed them to establish themselves and spread abroad."

Scientists found that when comparing plant species transported from the Mediterranean Basin to other regions with a Mediterranean climate, only those species with large distribution areas that occupy climatically diverse habitats in their native region became exotic. Furthermore, species with many dispersal vectors, long flowering periods, and above- and below-ground resource use strategies are more likely to become exotic.

These discoveries, in addition to contributing to the understanding of the phenomenon of plant invasion, have important practical implications. "Determining the factors that pre-adapt plant species to successfully establish and spread outside their native ranges constitutes a powerful approach with great potential for management," the researchers say.

The study concludes that, with existing information, it is possible to identify key species to monitor, especially in the era of Big Data, where observations from citizen science applications add to those from scientists, increasing the potential of screening systems.

The article can be read here.