Diez J.M., D’Antonio C.M., Dukes J.S., Grosholz E.D., Olden J.D., Sorte C.J., Blumenthal D.M., Bradley B.A., Early R., Ibáñez I., Jones S.J., Lawler J.J., & Miller L.P. (2012). Will extreme climatic events facilitate biological invasions? Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 10(5), 249-257. https://doi.org/10.1890/110137

Summary

Extreme climate events (ECEs) can influence different stages of invasion and create an ‘invasion window’, or an opportunity for invasive species to take advantage of resources made available after an ECE. ECEs often alter ecosystem structure or function and may cause abrupt mortality of resident species. This disturbance provides introduced species the opportunity to establish and take advantage of resources available post-disturbance. Other ECEs may cause stress to resident species and limit their ability to recover and compete for resources with invasive species. Invasive species often are more likely to succeed post ECE because they tend to have broader environmental tolerances than co-occurring native species, however responses will depend on each species’ tolerance to ECEs. ECEs, however, do not uniformly favor non-native species and many non-natives that benefit may have no substantial ecological impact, or impacts may be context dependent. Some ECEs may negatively affect established invaders, providing opportunities for restoration of native species.

Take Home Points

• ECEs can allow invasive species to transform ecosystems to new and persistent states.
• ECEs can increase the transportation of invasive species and reduce the current ecosystem’s ability to resist or be resilient to new invasions.
• ‘Resource pulses’ (e.g., a disturbance-induced sudden increase in light, space, or water) created by ECEs can allow invaders to establish and spread.

Management Considerations

Pre-ECE (Planning):

• Identify what types of ECEs will likely affect your region and evaluate your current management goals and objectives to see how they may be affected. Successful mitigation of the future impacts of ECEs will likely require planning and mobilization of resources.
• Include the potential responses of invasive species to expected ECEs in regional risk assessments and species watch lists.
• Rank the value and importance of cultural and natural resources that may be impacted by ECEs, so that rapid protection efforts can be targeted after an ECE.
• Identify management areas that are vulnerable to disturbance and work to increase the resilience of those areas prior to ECEs. Develop greater capacity for post-ECE restoration such as saving a supply of seeds for future restoration efforts.
• Consider how barriers or buffers between invaded and uninvaded areas could be bolstered or increased prior to ECEs.
• Develop and coordinate efforts across agencies, individuals, and landscapes for addressing ECEs. Cooperative agreements may assist with cross-boundary impacts.

Post ECE (Response):

• Increase early detection and rapid response (EDRR) efforts after an ECE to eradicate new invasions. ECEs that greatly reduce populations of invasive species may also increase the likelihood of eradication of those same species if managers can respond quickly.
• Prioritize management of the most detrimental invasive species first, such as those that are known to transform ecosystems or are highly ranked on risk assessments.
• Enlist volunteer and community groups to help monitor for invasive species after an ECE and respond to those that are found.