Alien Invasion Predictions

• Predicting the spread of alien species is an urgent challenge.
• Most predictions use models of ecological niche but may have limited accuracy.
• An alternative approach is based on environmental resistance of the landscape.
• This approach uses gradients of biotic similarity to predict likely routes of spread.
• Environmental resistance predicts patterns of spread better than null or climate matching models.
• The approach can be used to simulate future spread and reveal regional differences in invasion risk.
• Invasion risk is shaped by proximity to existing hotspots and gradients in environmental resistance.
• Environmental resistance provides a complementary approach for predicting invasion risk.
• The approach can be rapidly deployed even when information on niche or identity of invaders is unknown.
• The study focused on the global alien avifauna.

Test your knowledge on predicting the spread of alien species with this informative quiz! Explore the challenges of using ecological niche models and the alternative approach based on environmental resistance. Discover how gradients of biotic similarity can predict likely routes of spread and how environmental resistance can be used to simulate future invasion risk. Learn how invasion risk is shaped by proximity to hotspots and gradients in environmental resistance. This quiz focuses on the global alien avifauna and how environmental resistance provides a complementary approach for predicting invasion risk, even when