Non Native Invasive Plant Species

In a variety of ecosystems, the presence of non-native invasive plant species has increased dramatically over the last several centuries. Due to elevation gradients in mountains, abiotic factors that occur with increasing elevation such as lower temperatures and longer snow cover duration act as fairly effective barriers to invasion by non-native species. Global climate change will likely alter these abiotic barriers to plant invasions, especially the barrier of temperature, however most studies are relatively vague and need review in order to isolate and synthesize the various abiotic factors and their effects on different ecosystems. On average, the optimum elevations of plants (natives and non-natives) are increasing as a result of climate
warming, and in some scenarios this could result in native plants being completely replaced by non-native weeds. Water limitations could also be as significant or more significant than temperature for the establishment of non-native plant species in certain environments. Increased fire frequency may also promote plant invasions by facilitating fire-adapted non-native species. The studies reviewed suggest that certain mountainous areas (some more than others) will be (or already are) more susceptible to non-native plant invasions with climate change, and hence are more susceptible to loss of native species, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. Because of the variability of climate change factors across different mountain regions, more studies are needed in order to determine ecosystem-specific changes to plant communities. Understanding these changes will contribute to effective conservation strategies for biodiversity in mountains with climate change.