Invasive species and climate change (Chapter 7)

Invasive species present one of the greatest threats to the health and sustainability of ecosystems worldwide. Invasive plants, animals, and diseases are known to have significant negative effects on biological diversity and the ecological structure and functions of native ecosystems. Moreover, the economic cost imposed by invasive species is enormous—the damage inflicted to natural resources and costs of control measures is an estimated $137 billion each year in the United States. Climate change can fundamentally alter the behavior, spread, and harm caused by invasive species and the effectiveness of control methods. If we are to keep pace with and effectively limit the spread and damage caused by invasive species, it is critical to understand and predict how climate change will affect species invasions and the efficacy of the tools used to combat these invasions. To better identify research needs, we review the current state of knowledge pertaining to climate change impacts on several key topics, including invasive plants, their biocontrol, and wildlife disease.