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Biological invasions pose a significant threat to biodiversity, especially on oceanic islands. One of the primary explanations for the success of plant invaders is direct suppression of competitors. However, indirect interactions can also be important, although they are often overlooked in studies on biological invasion. The shrub  Leucaena leucocephala  is a widespread island invader with putative allelopathic effects on the germination and growth of other species. We quantified the impact of  Leucaena  on plant communities richness on an oceanic Brazilian island and, through nursery experiments, investigated the potential for allelopathic effects on the germination of  Erythrina velutina , a native species that is often absent from stands of  Leucaena . Additionally, in a manipulative field experiment, we examined the direct and indirect effects (mediated by the native species  Capparis flexuosa ) of the invader on the development of  Erythrina . The species richness in invaded sites was lower than in uninvaded sites, and  Capparis  was the only native species that was frequently present in invaded sites. In the nursery experiments, we found no evidence that  Leucaena  affects the germination of  Erythrina . In the field experiments, the odds of  Erythrina  germination were lower in the presence of  Leucaena  litter, but higher in the presence of  Leucaena  trees. However, the survival and growth of  Erythrina  were considerably inhibited by the presence of  Leucaena  trees. The isolated effect of native  Capparis  on the germination and growth of  Erythrina  varied from positive to neutral. However, when  Capparis  and  Leucaena  were both present, their combined negative effects on  Erythrina  were worse than the effect of  Leucaena  alone, which may be attributed to indirect effects. This study provides the first empirical evidence that the balance of the interactions between native species can shift from neutral/positive to negative in the presence of an exotic species.

Making a Bad Situation Worse: An Invasive Species Altering the Balance of Interactions between Local Species