A5006689468- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Plant and animal studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
- Environmental and Cultural Studies in Latin America and Beyond
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Animal and Plant Science Education
- Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis
- Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Evolution and Science Education
- Genetic and Environmental Crop Studies
- Plant Ecology and Soil Science
- Remote Sensing in Agriculture
- Forest Management and Policy
- Aeolian processes and effects
- Weed Control and Herbicide Applications
- Climate Change Communication and Perception
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Agroforestry and silvopastoral systems
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Indigenous Studies and Ecology
Freie Universität Berlin
2020-2025
Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries
2022-2025
Centro Científico Tecnológico - Mendoza
2025
Stellenbosch University
2017-2024
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
2024
Universidad Nacional de Cuyo
2013-2024
Technical University of Munich
2013-2020
Since its emergence in the mid-20th century, invasion biology has matured into a productive research field addressing questions of fundamental and applied importance. Not only number empirical studies increased through time, but also competing, overlapping and, some cases, contradictory hypotheses about biological invasions. To make these contradictions redundancies explicit, to gain insight field's current theoretical structure, we developed Delphi approach create consensus network 39...
Abstract Our ability to predict invasions has been hindered by the seemingly idiosyncratic context-dependency of individual invasions. However, we argue that robust and useful generalisations in invasion science can be made considering “invasion syndromes” which define as “a combination pathways, alien species traits, characteristics recipient ecosystem collectively result predictable dynamics impacts, managed effectively using specific policy management actions”. We describe this approach...
Abstract Although uncertainty is an integral part of any science, it raises doubts in public perception about scientific evidence, exploited by denialists, and therefore potentially hinders the implementation management actions. As a relatively young field study, invasion science contains many uncertainties. This may explain why, despite international policies aimed at mitigating biological invasions, national‐ regional‐scale measures to prevent or control alien species has done little slow...
Abstract Non‐native plants often alter environments they invade, favouring their own performance through positive feedbacks. Plant–soil interactions represent one such mechanism, but complexity (e.g. invader‐induced changes in soil nutrients, microbial communities, etc.) makes inferences of the precise mechanisms that benefit invaders difficult. Here we aimed to determine: (1) whether invasion by Australian acacias (genus Acacia Mill.) nitrogen‐fixing rhizobial community diversity and...
Abstract Question Disturbed areas offer great opportunities for restoring native biodiversity, but they are also prone to invasion by alien plants. Following the limiting similarity hypothesis, we address question of whether or not plant functional traits helps developing seed mixtures communities with high resistance invasive species at an early stage restoration. Location Centre Greenhouses and Laboratories Dürnast, Technische Universität München, Freising, Germany. Methods Using a system...
A challenge in many restoration projects, particular when establishing de-novo communities, is the arrival and later dominance of invasive alien plants. This could potentially be avoided by designing invasion-resistant native communities. Several studies suggest achieving this maximizing trait similarity between natives potential invaders ('limiting similarity'), but evidence supporting approach mixed so far. Others pose that relative time species ('priority effects') play a stronger role,...
In this contribution of the Hypothesis Description series, we provide an overview one longest-standing hypotheses in invasion science: Darwin's naturalisation hypothesis. We present a brief summary past definitions and propose revised definition “high phylogenetic distance between non-native species recipient community increases success”. This formulation follows basic form ‘subject – relationship object’, enabling clarity for future research computational applications biology. also...
Reversing biodiversity loss and the sustainability crisis requires approaches that explicitly consider human-nature interdependencies. Social-ecological networks (SENs), which incorporate social ecological actors entities as well their interactions, are such an approach. SENs have been applied to a range of complex issues, sustainable resource use, management ecosystem (dis-)services, collective action. However, application field invasion science has remained limited so far, despite clear...
The sixth mass extinction and the ongoing biodiversity climate crises demand urgent action from ecologists environmental scientists (EESs). Despite their critical role in addressing these challenges, EESs face unclear professional responsibilities towards society, local communities ecosystems. 2024 ANdiNA workshop was held Conguillío National Park Chile, within Wallmapu ancestral land of Mapuche people. It gathered global to explore roles, obligations accountability professionals this field....
Abstract With the aim to identify future challenges and opportunities in vegetation science, we brought together a group of 22 early career scientists from diverse backgrounds perform horizon scan. In this contribution, present selection 15 topics that were ranked by participants as most emergent impactful for science face global change. We highlight methodological tools expect will play critical role resolving emerging issues providing ways unveil new aspects plant community dynamics...
Ecosystem properties can be positively affected by plant functional diversity and compromised invasive alien plants. We performed a community assembly study in mesocosms manipulating different levels for native grassland plants (communities composed 1, 2 or 3 groups) to test if dispersion could constrain the impacts of an (Solidago gigantea) on soil fertility biomass via complementarity. Response variables were nutrients, water nutrients aboveground biomass. applied linear mixed-effects...
Abstract Understanding why some, but not other, plant communities are vulnerable to alien invasive species is essential for predicting and managing biological invasions. Darwin proposed two seemingly contradictory hypotheses on how native‐invader relatedness influences invasion success, emphasizing, respectively, the importance of environmental filtering competition between natives invaders. Despite much recent empirical research this topic, reconciling these hypotheses, known as Darwin's...
Scientists have repeatedly warned about the irrefutable impact that human activity has had on biosphere; unparalleled in history. At same time, they emphasised how humans depend ...
Invasive alien species pose significant threats to global biodiversity and ecosystems. Given the high importance of context-dependency in invasion dynamics, testing fundamental hypotheses ecology different environmental contexts is crucial understand underlying processes establishment spread species. This study focuses on invasive Senecio inaequidens DC. (South African ragwort), investigating interplay between abiotic biotic factors influencing its success. Through field surveys across three...
Amid global environmental crises threatening the survival of many species, including our own, a diverse group scientists from 15 countries and members 16 professional academic societies, concerned with current crisis met in February 2024 to address urgent need reflect on, identify, core values responsibilities as individual professionals societies. We invited fellow join this conversation we share here result discussion, which was informed by: i) experiences; ii) scoping review mission...
With the exponential increase in scientific publications, new conceptual and technological tools are needed to help scientists, students, managers policy-makers navigate digest current knowledge. Hi Knowledge is an initiative synthesise visualise knowledge, with initial focus on invasion biology that currently expanding include urban ecology, restoration ecology freshwater ecology. In a workshop 5-6 June 2023 Berlin, Germany, we discussed tested collection of open related this order publish,...