Pathogen accumulation and long‐term dynamics of plant invasions

Abstract

Summary The diversity of pathogens on highly abundant introduced hosts has been positively correlated with time since introduction, geographical range of the introduced species and diversity of invaded habitats. However, little is known about the ecological effects of pathogen accumulation on non‐native invasive plants. Pathogen accumulation on invasive plant species may result from ecological processes such as high plant densities, expanding geographical ranges and pathogen dispersal from the native range, or evolutionary mechanisms such as host range shifts and adaptation of native pathogens to invasive species. Over time pathogen accumulation may cause decline in the density and distribution of invasive plants and facilitate recovery of native species. Alternatively, pathogens might build up on invasive species and then spill back onto co‐occurring native species, further exacerbating the effects of invasions. Synthesis. Research efforts should focus on determining the long‐term outcomes of pathogen accumulation on invasive species. Such research will require multifaceted approaches including comparative studies of diverse invasive species and habitats, experimental manipulations of hosts and pathogens in nature and controlled environments, and predictive models of host‐pathogen interactions within an invasion framework. Results of this research will improve our understanding and ability to predict the outcomes of biological invasions.