The role played by invasive species in interactions with endangered and threatened species in the United States: a systematic review

Duenas, Manuel-Angel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1199-4018; Ruffhead, Holly J.; Wakefield, Nicola H.; Roberts, Philip D.; Hemming, David J.; Diaz-Soltero, Hilda. 2018 The role played by invasive species in interactions with endangered and threatened species in the United States: a systematic review. Biodiversity and Conservation, 27 (12). 3171-3183. 10.1007/s10531-018-1595-x

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Abstract/Summary

Invasive species are considered to be a leading cause of the decline of threatened species. However, this view has been disputed because much of the evidence base is anecdotal. This systematic review, through an extensive, repeatable search using agreed selection criteria, examined the available scientific evidence on invasive species’ interactions with the 1363 endangered and threatened species protected under the United States Endangered Species Act (ESA). The review found scientific evidence available for 116 endangered or threatened species (8.5% of the ESA list). Of these, 85 species (6.2%) were reported as being negatively impacted by invasive species: 39 located on the continental US and 39 on islands, with seven marine species. The relative percentages of species impacted differed according to location: 4.3% (n = 906) on the continental US, 9.3% (n = 420) on islands. It was found that predation by invasive vertebrates on birds on islands and competition between invasive plants and endangered or threatened plants on the mainland were the main mechanisms of impact. The results of this study contrast markedly with a previous study which found that 49% of imperilled species in the United States were threatened by invasive species. Further research is essential in order to evaluate the impact of invasive species on imperilled species on the ESA list; this would help to reduce the high degree of uncertainty regarding the threat of invasive species due to the lack of empirical information.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1007/s10531-018-1595-x
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Water Resources (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	0960-3115
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	invasive species, threatened species, endangered species, impact, mechanism, ESA list
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	16 Aug 2018 14:49 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/520769

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