As one of the leading causes of biological loss, invasive alien species (IAS) represent a threat to global biodiversity. IAS, however, may also impact the provision of other ecosystem services such as crops, water supplies and erosion control.
In order to explore the potential impact of invasive plants on natural provisioning services in Europe, researchers in this study selected four different types of invaders of EU concern: a tree (Ailanthus altissima), a shrub (Baccharis halimifolia), a vine (Impatiens glandulifera), and an herb (Pueraria montana).
Using the Invasive Species Effects Assessment tool (INSEAT) protocol, the authors began by assessing the impact of the four IAS on 16 different ecosystem services, identifying most negative impacts on wild species diversity, crops and erosion regulation.
Combining GBIF-mediated occurrences with data on climate, soil and accessibility, they modelled the current and future distributions of the four IAS and evaluated the change in potential range sizes.
By mapping probability of invasion combined with provision of ecosystem services for all four species, the authors created 60 bivariate choropleth maps, indicating specific risk across the continent at a 5-arc min resolution.
The results showed that all species except I. glandulifera appear likely to expand their suitable ranges. Overall, the models predicted an increase in critical and high impact areas in Western Europe and the British Isles, while the Mediterrranean region projected as less impacted. With risks to all three ecosystem services explored, the results of the study highlight a need for actions to mitigate spread and impact of IAS in Europe.