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The importance of biological inertia in plant community resistance to invasion
Author(s) -
Holle Betsy,
Delcourt Hazel R.,
Simberloff Daniel
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of vegetation science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1654-1103
pISSN - 1100-9233
DOI - 10.1111/j.1654-1103.2003.tb02168.x
Subject(s) - ecology , abiotic component , resistance (ecology) , biology , community , biotic component , plant community , introduced species , invasive species , disturbance (geology) , geography , habitat , ecological succession , paleontology
. Insights into the ecology of historic invasions by introduced species can be gained by studying long‐term patterns of invasions by native species. In this paper, we review literature in palaeo‐ecology, forest‐stand simulation modelling, and historical studies of plant species invasions to illustrate the relevance of biological inertia in plant communities to invasion ecology. Resistance to invasion occurs in part because of environmental, demographic, and biotic factors influencing the arrival and establishment of invading species. We propose that biological inertia within the resident community is a fourth component of resistance to invasion, because of the lag time inherent in eliminating resident species and perhaps their traces after environmental conditions become suitable for invasion by immigrating species. Whether or not an introduced species invades can be conditioned by the presence of the pre‐existing community (and/or its legacy) in addition to the other biotic and abiotic factors.