Research to Practice
Research to Practice papers (R2P2s, formerly called ‘Management Challenges’) are ~two-page documents that synthesize knowledge and science about a topic related to invasive species and climate change. Research to Practice papers address NE RISCC’s goal of translating science for practice and aim to respond to information needs identified by the broader RISCC community. Need some information that you’re not finding here? Let us know!
WHERE THERE’s a when there’s a way
Phenology—the timing of seasonal life-cycle events such as leafout, flowering, fruiting, and senescence—is a critical aspect of plant growth and reproduction. Planning management activities around these stages is important for effective invasive species management. Climate change is likely to shift the timing of plant phenological stages, altering the ideal treatment calendar. Therefore, understanding how climate change shifts a plant’s phenology will improve the timing and efficacy of best management practices. Closer monitoring of environmental cues will help track and predict phenological stages to adjust management accordingly.
Out of Control?
Biocontrol, the practice of using one species (biocontrol agents) to control another (target invasive host) is an important tool for managing invasive species, particularly over large spatial scales. There are growing concerns that climate change may disrupt relationships between biocontrol agents and their target hosts, creating a “mismatch” that would reduce biocontrol efficacy. This management challenge highlights case studies and management implications associated with current evidence of climate change impacts on the survival, reproduction, and performance of biocontrol agents and target hosts.
Do Not Sell! Ornamental plants to avoid with climate change
As climate warms, hundreds of new invasive plants are projected to expand into the Northeast (Allen & Bradley 2016). And the majority (61%!) of invasive plants are still available for sale as ornamentals somewhere in the U.S. (Beaury et al. 2021). By helping nursery professionals to identify high-risk invasive plants to avoid selling, we have an opportunity to proactively prevent future invasives. This management challenge highlights a set of high-impact invasive plants that we should avoid buying and selling in the Northeast to reduce the risk of future invasions.
Are you sleeping? Are you Sleeping?
Predicting invasion potential of non-native plants. Sleeper species are non-native species that are established in a region and could become invasive as climate change makes conditions more favorable for many non-native species. Before we can manage potential sleepers, we must first know their identity. We analyzed non-native, established plants in the Northeast United States (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT) using the Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) protocol to identify species that have negative impacts on native ecological communities as well as negative impacts on agriculture, economies, or human health. Here, we highlight four potential sleeper species to watch out for.
Marine Mischief
Salt marshes, climate change, and invasive species, oh my! New England salt marshes are highly productive, providing ecosystem services for people and native biodiversity. Human activities are causing climate change and affecting species composition in salt marshes, threatening these valuable ecosystems. The fate of these ecosystems depends on their natural resistance and the management actions taken in the immediate future. This management challenge outlines management options for coastal salt marsh communities in a changing climate.
Embracing the Future
Climate change and invasive species can interact to increase disturbances and magnify changes in ecosystem form and function. Increasing resilience is one of several management approaches for enabling healthy ecosystems to persist despite these changes. Resilience falls in the middle of a spectrum of management goals ranging from preventing change (resistance) to promoting change (transformation) in an ecosystem. Clear management goals and an understanding of the range of disturbances affecting focal ecosystems are necessary for deciding between managing for resistance, resilience, or transformation and what actions are required for successful management outcomes.
Forest Pest Risk is Heating Up
Insect pests and pathogens, and climate change, each threaten forest health. But what happens when the two are combined? Climate change brings pests to new areas, makes pests more damaging, reduces trees’ defenses to pests, and can alter how forests recover after pest disturbance. Strategies for managing the combined impacts of forest pests and climate change include preventing new pest introductions, resisting pest spread by treating individual trees and diversifying forest stands, promoting more resilient forests that can rebound from pests, and helping forests transition to a state better adapted to our future climate.
Nuisance Neonatives
Native species will need to shift their ranges northward and upslope to keep pace with climate change in the Northeast U.S. However, this may cause some range-shifting species to have undesirable consequences in their expanded range. This resource provides a framework to identify the likelihood that a range-shifting species will become problematic and offer suggestions to minimize impacts from these species in the recipient habitat.
Prioritizing Range-Shifting Invasives
Up to 100 new invasive plants are likely to arrive in the Northeast with climate change. But, that's a lot of new species to deal with. Original RISCC research identifies 'high-impact' range-shifting species. You can also read the paper, download our database of impact assessments, or create your own impacts assessment using our template.
Climate smart gardening
An estimated 80% of ornamental plants for sale are non-native. However, native plants increase biodiversity and reduce risks associated with invasive species, which supports resilient ecosystems in the face of climate change. This resource provides a guide to gardening with native alternatives to common invasive ornamental plants and tips for being a climate-smart gardener.
Taking Action
Climate change is likely to alter the timing and effect of invasive species management, as well as the suite of species we are managing. How can we respond to these emerging challenges? Learn more about how to implement climate-smart management and resources to aid your decision-making.
Double Trouble
Individually, invasive species and climate change are major threats to global ecosystems. Together they create new challenges for effective management. Before we can design management strategies to respond to this double trouble, we need to understand how these two forms of global change interact. Learn more about the risks from invasive species + climate change.
Why Native?
Planting non-native ornamental species in gardens gives them a distinct advantage over most natives in the context of climate change. We assist this movement of ornamental plants into regions where they are more able to persist as climate warms, but leave most native plants to try to keep up on their own. To support native ecosystems, we need to encourage friends and colleagues to plant native. Learn more about why native ornamental plants support healthier and more diverse ecosystems.
“Sleeper” Species
This Management Challenge highlights a new challenge for invasive species management in light of climate change. Currently, naturalized species could contain “sleeper” invasives. Those are species that are not yet invasive because they are limited by current climate conditions, but could become invasive with climate change. Learn more about sleeper species and how to prioritize them for management.
Warming waters
Climate change is warming northeastern water bodies and changing the environmental conditions that structure aquatic communities, presenting new challenges for the management and conservation of these ecosystems. Learn more about how increasing water temperatures may influence aquatic invasives.