Native diversity buffers against severity of non-native tree invasions
Authors: Delavaux Camille S. , Crowther Thomas W. , Zohner Constantin M. , Robmann Niamh M. , Lauber Thomas , van den Hoogen Johan , Kuebbing Sara , Liang Jingjing , de-Miguel Sergio , Nabuurs Gert-Jan , Reich Peter B. , Abegg Meinrad , Adou Yao Yves C. , Alberti Giorgio , Almeyda Zambrano Angelica M. , Alvarado Braulio Vilchez , Alvarez-Dávila Esteban , Alvarez-Loayza Patricia , Alves Luciana F. , Ammer Christian , Antón-Fernández Clara , Araujo-Murakami Alejandro , Arroyo Luzmila , Avitabile Valerio , Aymard Gerardo A. , Baker Timothy R. , Bałazy Radomir , Banki Olaf , Barroso Jorcely G. , Bastian Meredith L. , Bastin Jean-Francois , Birigazzi Luca , Birnbaum Philippe , Bitariho Robert , Boeckx Pascal , Bongers Frans , Bouriaud Olivier , Brancalion Pedro H. S. , Brandl Susanne , Brienen Roel , Broadbent Eben N. , Bruelheide Helge , Bussotti Filippo , Gatti Roberto Cazzolla , César Ricardo G. , Cesljar Goran , Chazdon Robin , Chen Han Y. H. , Chisholm Chelsea , Cho Hyunkook , Cienciala Emil , Clark Connie , Clark David , Colletta Gabriel D. , Coomes David A. , Cornejo Valverde Fernando , Corral-Rivas José J. , Crim Philip M. , Cumming Jonathan R. , Dayanandan Selvadurai , de Gasper André L. , Decuyper Mathieu , Derroire Géraldine , DeVries Ben , Djordjevic Ilija , Dolezal Jiri , Dourdain Aurélie , Engone Obiang Nestor Laurier , Enquist Brian J. , Eyre Teresa J. , Fandohan Adandé Belarmain , Fayle Tom M. , Feldpausch Ted R. , Ferreira Leandro V. , Fischer Markus , Fletcher Christine , Frizzera Lorenzo , Gamarra Javier G. P. , Gianelle Damiano , Glick Henry B. , Harris David J. , Hector Andrew , Hemp Andreas , Hengeveld Geerten , Hérault Bruno , Herbohn John L. , Herold Martin , Hillers Annika , Honorio Coronado Eurídice N. , Hui Cang , Ibanez Thomas T. , Amaral Iêda , Imai Nobuo , Jagodziński Andrzej M. , Jaroszewicz Bogdan , Johannsen Vivian Kvist , Joly Carlos A. , Jucker Tommaso , Jung Ilbin , Karminov Viktor , Kartawinata Kuswata , Kearsley Elizabeth , Kenfack David , Kennard Deborah K. , Kepfer-Rojas Sebastian , Keppel Gunnar , Khan Mohammed Latif , Killeen Timothy J. , Kim Hyun Seok , Kitayama Kanehiro , Köhl Michael , Korjus Henn , Kraxner Florian , Laarmann Diana , Lang Mait , Lewis Simon L. , Lu Huicui , Lukina Natalia V. , Maitner Brian S. , Malhi Yadvinder , Marcon Eric , Marimon Beatriz Schwantes , Marimon-Junior Ben Hur , Marshall Andrew R. , Martin Emanuel H. , Martynenko Olga , Meave Jorge A. , Melo-Cruz Omar , Mendoza Casimiro , Merow Cory , Mendoza Abel Monteagudo , Moreno Vanessa S. , Mukul Sharif A. , Mundhenk Philip , Nava-Miranda María Guadalupe , Neill David , Neldner Victor J. , Nevenic Radovan V. , Ngugi Michael R. , Niklaus Pascal A. , Oleksyn Jacek , Ontikov Petr , Ortiz-Malavasi Edgar , Pan Yude , Paquette Alain , Parada-Gutierrez Alexander , Parfenova Elena I. , Park Minjee , Parren Marc , Parthasarathy Narayanaswamy , Peri Pablo L. , Pfautsch Sebastian , Phillips Oliver L. , Picard Nicolas , Piedade Maria Teresa T. F. , Piotto Daniel , Pitman Nigel C. A. , Polo Irina , Poorter Lourens , Poulsen Axel D. , Pretzsch Hans , Ramirez Arevalo Freddy , Restrepo-Correa Zorayda , Rodeghiero Mirco , Rolim Samir G. , Roopsind Anand , Rovero Francesco , Rutishauser Ervan , Saikia Purabi , Salas-Eljatib Christian , Saner Philippe , Schall Peter , Schepaschenko Dmitry , Scherer-Lorenzen Michael , Schmid Bernhard , Schöngart Jochen , Searle Eric B. , Seben Vladimír , Serra-Diaz Josep M. , Sheil Douglas , Shvidenko Anatoly Z. , Silva-Espejo Javier E. , Silveira Marcos , Singh James , Sist Plinio , Slik Ferry , Sonké Bonaventure , Souza Alexandre F. , Miscicki Stanislaw , Stereńczak Krzysztof J. , Svenning Jens-Christian , Svoboda Miroslav , Swanepoel Ben , Targhetta Natalia , Tchebakova Nadja , ter Steege Hans , Thomas Raquel , Tikhonova Elena , Umunay Peter M. , Usoltsev Vladimir A. , Valencia Renato , Valladares Fernando , van der Plas Fons , Do Tran Van , van Nuland Michael E. , Vasquez Rodolfo M. , Verbeeck Hans , Viana Helder , Vibrans Alexander C. , Vieira Simone , von Gadow Klaus , Wang Hua-Feng , Watson James V. , Werner Gijsbert D. A. , Wiser Susan K. , Wittmann Florian , Woell Hannsjoerg , Wortel Verginia , Zagt Roderik , Zawiła-Niedźwiecki Tomasz , Zhang Chunyu , Zhao Xiuhai , Zhou Mo , Zhu Zhi-Xin , Zo-Bi Irie C. , Maynard Daniel S. 
Published: August 2023

Determining the drivers of non-native plant invasions is critical for managing native ecosystems and limiting the spread of invasive species1,2. Tree invasions in particular have been relatively overlooked, even though they have the potential to transform ecosystems and economies3,4. Here, leveraging global tree databases5–7, we explore how the phylogenetic and functional diversity of native tree communities, human pressure and the environment influence the establishment of non-native tree species and the subsequent invasion severity. We find that anthropogenic factors are key to predicting whether a location is invaded, but that invasion severity is underpinned by native diversity, with higher diversity predicting lower invasion severity. Temperature and precipitation emerge as strong predictors of invasion strategy, with non-native species invading successfully when they are similar to the native community in cold or dry extremes. Yet, despite the influence of these ecological forces in determining invasion strategy, we find evidence that these patterns can be obscured by human activity, with lower ecological signal in areas with higher proximity to shipping ports. Our global perspective of non-native tree invasion highlights that human drivers influence non-native tree presence, and that native phylogenetic and functional diversity have a critical role in the establishment and spread of subsequent invasions.