Climate change is often assumed to intensify the negative effects of invasive species on ecosystems (e.g. outcompeting, replacing, and displacing native species) by magnifying the spread of invasives and lowering the resiliency of native species. However, new research finds that climate change does not always amplify the negative effects of invasive species that are experienced at a local level. In a recent article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Northeast CASC-supported researchers analyzed over 400 case studies on the ecological effects of climate change, nitrogen, and invasive species at local scales and  found that in most cases (~75% of the time), climate change did not enhance the ecological damage done by species invasions. The researchers go on to highlight how managing and eradicating invasive species at the local scale can more effectively prepare an ecosystem for long-term climate resilience.

The research authors are members to the  Northeast Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change (RISCC) Network, a collection of scientists and managers working to “reduce the compounding effects of invasive species and climate change by synthesizing relevant science, sharing the needs and knowledge of managers, building stronger scientist-manager communities, and conducting priority research.”