Invasive Species

Investigating species invasion patterns and processes across broad spatial scales

Laurel wilt mortality in redbay, Evans County, Georgia — **The exotic insect-disease complex of laurel wilt disease and redbay ambrosia beetle has killed hundreds of millions of redbay trees in coastal areas of the Southeast, including Evans County, Georgia.**

SUMMARY: Biological invasions pose a major threat to forest ecosystems globally and cause significant ecosystem degradation and economic loss. Research has revealed variation in regional invasion patterns, indicating that the factors affecting invasion dynamics vary across scales and among taxonomic groups. Many small-scale studies have focused on invasion processes and impacts, while only a few have encompassed broader regions. Our understanding about the factors influencing broad-scale invasion patterns is therefore limited. More research needs to include multiple taxonomic groups, to account for the interactions among the three invasion components (invader, recipient system, and environmental drivers), and to consider the spatial and temporal scales of invasion patterns and processes.

I cooperate with several other scientists to address these research needs, working to understand the patterns and processes of biological invasions, across regional, national, and international scales. Our goal is to enhance our understanding of invasive species dynamics and impacts across scales, particularly relating to where invasive plants and tree occur in U.S. forests, and the socioeconomic and environmental factors associated with those invasions. The results assist in future invasive species prediction, proactive policy making, and invasive species management. Our work has received international attention both in the invasive ecology community and in the media.

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CONTACT: Kevin Potter, kevin.potter@usda.gov or (919) 281-1971