Invasibility
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alien species, or species that are not native, invade habitats and alter ecosystems around the world. Invasive species are only considered invasive if they are able to survive and sustain themselves in their new environment.[1] A habitat and the environment around it has natural flaws that make them vulnerable to invasive species.[1] The level of vulnerability of a habitat to invasions from outside species is defined as its invasibility. One must be careful not to get this confused with invasiveness, which relates to the species itself and its ability to invade an ecosystem.[2]
There are many factors, abiotic and biotic, that can raise or lower a habitat's invasibility, such as stress, disturbance, nutrient levels, climate, and pre-existing native species. Typically invasive species favor areas that are nutrient-rich, have few environmental stresses, and high levels of disturbances. This explains why areas in the United States such as Hawaii, Florida, and California are infested with invasive species.[3] These invasions are one of the biggest and most consistent threats to biodiversity across the globe. Antarctica is the only natural reserve on Earth that is without invasive species, due to its environmental factors.[2]