Introduced species that overcome life history tradeoffs can cause native extinctions

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04491-3
• Publication Date: 2018-05-24T11:05:26Z
• Authors: Jane A. Catford; Michael Bode; David Tilman
• Keywords: Metacommunity; Extinction (optical mineralogy); Propagule; Extinction debt; Propagule pressure; Colonisation; Ecological release

Abstract Introduced species threaten native biodiversity, but whether exotic can competitively displace remains contested. Building on theory that predicts multi-species coexistence based a competition-colonisation tradeoff, we derive mechanistic basis by which human-mediated invasions could cause extinctions through competitive displacement. In contrast to past invasions, humans principally introduce modern invaders, repeatedly and in large quantities, ways facilitate release from enemies competitors. Associated increases species’ propagule rain, survival ability enable some introduced overcome the tradeoffs constrain all other species. Using evidence metacommunity models, show how introductions disrupt coexistence, generating extinction debts, especially when combined with forms of anthropogenic environmental change. Even though competing have typically coexisted following biogeographic migrations, multiplicity interactive impacts today’s threats change into agents extinction.