The ecology of biological invasions: Past, present and future

Abstract

Concluding remarks: In this essay, we have provided a brief review of the rapidly expanding literature on biological invasions. Many of the hypotheses explored above are not mutually exclusive, and the processes that underlie them may act simultaneously, in concert or in opposition, to determine the ultimate success or failure of an invader at each invasion stage. Though we have tried to be thorough, experienced researchers in the field will no doubt formulate additional hypotheses that warrant investigation. To date, most experiments have focused on only a single hypothesis for a small subset of invasive species under particular environmental conditions. To arrive at a realistic understanding of the ecological processes underlying biological invasions, a more integrative approach is warranted - one that examines the relative importance of each processes for a variety of species under myriad environmental conditions. This will prove to be a daunting task indeed, but one that will perpetuate the expansion of the field of invasion ecology for years to come, thereby ensuring plenty of fruitful lines of research for the keen investigators of the future. © 2005 Birkhäuser Verlag.