New publication exploring invasive species in Hawaiʻi
A new research article was recently released that explores regional and global scales for invasive species in Hawaiʻi. It incorporates data from citizen science sites (iNaturalist) and compares regional and global models.
Description:
Using a novel niche comparison approach, this study shows there are multiple similarities in niche characteristics across regional and global scales for invasive species considered, such as similar sets of climatic determinants of distribution, similar responses along environmental gradients, and moderate to high niche overlap between global and regional models. Additionally, invaders that established earlier showed a higher degree of niche overlap and similar environmental gradient responses when comparing global and regional models. This work uses a nested modeling approach combining global and regional data to produce the most comprehensive projections of potential invasive plant distributions in Hawaiʻi, yielding improved estimates of invasion risk that can help guide early detection, monitoring, and control efforts to protect Hawaiʻi’s unique native ecosystems.