Led by Martín Núñez, the group explores why some tree species grow substantially faster in their non-native ranges than in the regions where they originated, and what this can tell us about biological invasions, plantation forestry, and the management of non-native trees.
Biological invasions often reveal surprising ecological patterns. One of the most striking is that many tree species grow substantially faster in their non-native ranges than in the regions where they originated. This phenomenon is an important factor explaining why non-native trees are sometimes invasive and outcompete native trees. It also is important for the exploitation of non-native tree species in plantation forestry. Although this phenomenon has been noted since the time of Charles Darwin, its global prevalence and underlying causes remain poorly understood.
This Working Group aims to synthesize global evidence on tree growth in native and non-native environments. By compiling data from forest inventories, tree-ring records, and global databases, the group will examine how factors such as climate, soils, evolutionary relationships, and interactions with pests and pathogens influence tree performance across regions.
See more about this working group here: Working Group Global patterns of growth of native and non-native trees
Project HIVE 101187384. Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
