Spatial Distribution and Performance of Native and Invasive Ardisia (Myrsinaceae) Species in Puerto Rico: The anatomy of an invasion

Abstract

Establishing and spread of invasive species into new habitat is considered the second most significant threat to biodiversity worldwide, this is in part due to displacement and extinction of native species. However, the mechanism behind the successes of exotic invasions are not well understood. Field comparison between native and non-native or invasive congener pairs, has been considered as an effective method for identifying characteristic that support invasiveness . This is because native and invasive congeners should share many phenotypic traits and ecological similarity. Those traits for which an invasive exhibits superior ecological performance are likely to contribute to it invasiveness. We studied the tree Arsidia elliptica, an invasive species considered among 100 of the "World's Worst" invaders by the invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG), and A. abovata a native congener that shares some of the same habitats as the invasive.