Main directions and results of researches of phytoinvasion

Abstract

The aim of this work is to generalize the main trends and the research results related to the expansion of invasive plant species. The main hypotheses that explain the success of invasive species are reviewed. The hypotheses are: absence of natural enemies in the secondary area, influence of hybridization and allelopathy on the processes of invasion, the hypothesis of vacant niches, the emergence of new genotypes with expressive adaptive features, the rapid development of genetic traits associated with the pressure of natural selection in new environmental conditions, the importance of bioecological features of invasive species – by morphological and biomorphological plasticity, ecological versatility, ecological-phytocoenic strategies, features of reproduction, etc. Invasion of non-native species is primarily caused by anthropogenic transformation of the natural environment, which is aggravated by climate change. The increasing level of transformation of the environment leads to an increase in the degree of naturalization of non-native species, and as a consequence to modification of types of habitats and to a loss of individual populations of natural species. Processes of naturalization of invasive species are supported by a set of specific various systematic groups of factors. The lack of an effective monitoring system and information tools prevents effective control of invasive non-native species. The necessity to construct models of the behavior of invasive species and to check the predictions of their invasive activity is substantiated.