Wind effects on habitat distributions of wind-dispersed invasive plants across different biomes on a global scale: Assessment using six species

Abstract

A number of widespread invasive plants are wind-dispersed, and wind may facilitate their dispersal and migration over a large distance. While wind is an important factor for seed dispersal and pollination, few studies have examined its potential to affect the habitat distribution of invasive plants over large spatial scales. We selected six of the world's worst invasive plants with wind-driving seed dispersal and pollination, and used wind speed as an indicator of wind. Environmental niche modelling was used to quantify the effects of wind on the habitat distribution of these invasive plants on a global scale and across 14 biomes. Wind had a negative effect on the habitat distribution of invasive plants in tropical and subtropical moist biomes, and a positive effect in Temperate Conifer Forests, Boreal Forests/Taiga, Temperate Grasslands, Savannas and Shrublands, and Montane Grasslands and Shrublands. We concluded that wind affected the habitat distribution of wind-dispersed invasive plants over a large scale, and this effect varied across different biomes. Thus, wind speed and biomes should be used as global monitoring indicators of invasion by wind-dispersed plants and wind speed variables should be included in the projection of habitat distributions of such invasive species when using ENM.