insect invasions

Fit of the reduced structural equation model predicting native and non-native plant and insect species richness. Regression parameter estimates are shown next to arrows; black arrows indicate positive estimates, blue arrows indicate negative estimates and weight of each arrow is proportional to the estimated value. Dashed arrows correspond to non-significant relationships. Distance represents insularity and is measured by distance to the mainland. (Figure by Liebhold et al. 2018)

2018 / News

Plant diversity drives global patterns of insect invasions

During the last two centuries, thousands of insect species have been moved (mostly unintentionally) outside of their native ranges. Some of these species were able to establish in new areas and in some cases with catastrophic ecological and economic impacts. Why have some world regions been invaded by more insect species than others?

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26 September 2018

2016 / Highlighted papers

C·I·B workshop leads to special issue on insect invasions

The insects are a group that has been underrepresented in the field of invasion biology, despite their impacts on agricultural production (e.g. fruit flies), ecosystem disruptions (e.g. ants) and vectors of disease that affect human health (e.g. mosquitoes). Further, much of the theory of invasion biology has come from work focused on plant and vertebrate invasions.

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14 April 2016