Impact of cyber-invasive species on a large ecological network

TL;DR

This study models the ecological impacts of invasive species on a large food web, revealing that impacts are predictable and species within the same taxonomic group respond similarly, with some species at broader risk.

Contribution

It introduces a generalized food web model capable of predicting the ecological impacts of invasive species at the network level.

Findings

Impacts of invasive species are ecologically plausible and predictable.

Species within the same taxonomic group respond similarly to invasives.

Some native species are at risk from multiple invasive species.

Abstract

As impacts of introduced species cascade through trophic levels, they can cause indirect and counter-intuitive effects. To investigate the impact of invasive species at the network scale, we use a generalized food web model, capable of propagating changes through networks with a series of ecologically realistic criteria. Using data from a small British offshore island, we quantify the impacts of four virtual invasive species (an insectivore, a herbivore, a carnivore and an omnivore whose diet is based on a rat) and explore which clusters of species react in similar ways. We find that the predictions for the impacts of invasive species are ecologically plausible, even for large networks robust predictions for the impacts of invasive species can be obtained. Species in the same taxonomic group are similarly impacted by a virtual invasive species. However, interesting differences within a given taxonomic group can occur. The results suggest that some native species may be at risk from a wider range of invasives than previously believed. The implications of these results for ecologists and land managers are discussed.