MULTI-CRASH - Multidimensional ecological cascades triggered by an invasive species in pristine habitats

Biological invasions are responsible for multiple effects on ecosystems, affecting species interactions and various ecological processes. Predicting and managing the impacts of biological invasions on communities and ecosystems depends on the ability to empirically characterize complex biological interactions at appropriate spatial and temporal scales. However, successful predictions of the effects of invasive non-native species depend on our ability to quantify these impacts in terms of biodiversity dynamics and ecosystem functioning, which makes overall assessment very complicated, as data acquisition can be methodologically demanding. In addition, it is rarely known whether non-native species are "drivers" of observed ecological changes over time or only "transient" in response to other global factors (e.g. climate change, pollution) . Finally, increasing evidence suggests that the effects of non-native species may affect other ecosystems not directly invaded (e.g., impacts of aquatic non-native species may spread to adjacent terrestrial ecosystems. This project will assess the multi-trophic, multi-dimensional ecological impacts mediated by a non-native species in pristine areas.