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Dryad

Species redistribution combined with invasive dominance but not species turnover promotes biotic homogenization following invasion

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Jan 22, 2021 version files 921.94 KB

Abstract

Disentangling the processes lead to biotic homogenization is important and will guide conservation efforts. Temporal turnover in species composition (i.e., β-diversity) and changes in local α-diversity are two distinct processes drive biotic homogenization, but these effects may be masked by invasive dominance. After removing invasive dominance, we compared the changes in species diversity and species distribution patterns before and after invasion aims to measure the relative contribution of species turnover and local diversity changes to biological homogenization. Invasive dominance indeed had an important contribution to biotic homogenization, and the effects increased with an increase in the invasive species number. Species composition of native plots was not significantly different from invaded plots when removing invasive species. Invasion changed native species distribution patterns and promoted the wide spread of most species, which causes an increase in local richness and community evenness. We highlight that species redistribution combined with invasive dominance but not species turnover promotes biotic homogenization, especially at early invasion stages. Avoiding the ecological impacts of biotic homogenization following invasion will require much stronger proactive management to prevent invasive dominance as well as increase monitoring at the early stages of invasion.