The Role of International Cooperation in Invasive Species Research 13 Andrew M. Liebhold, Faith T. Campbell, Doria R. Gordon, Qinfeng Guo, Nathan Havill, Bradley Kinder, Richard MacKenzie, David R. Lance, Dean E. Pearson, Sharlene E. Sing, Travis Warziniack, Robert C. Venette, and Denys Yemshanov The study of invasive species in both their native and 13.1 Introduction introduced ranges is critical to mitigating the invasion prob- lem. The translocation of organisms beyond their native The root cause of the biological invasion problem is global- ranges can, in some cases, simply extend the range of species ization, which has facilitated the planet-wide breakdown of that are already pests, and in other cases it can create new biogeographic barriers to species migration (Mooney and pests. It is widely hypothesized that such translocations Hobbs 2000). In order to understand and manage the prob- result in novel ecological interactions, which may cause lem, coordination on a global scale is essential, and interna- these introduced (non-native) species to become more abun- tional cooperation among affected countries as well as with dant and/or modify their ecosystem impacts in their new countries of pest origin must therefore play a critical role in range (e.g., Broennimann et al. 2007; Torchin et al. 2003). virtually all aspects of research on biological invasions Based on this assumption, several mechanisms have been (Chornesky et al. 2005; McNeely et al. 2001; Perrings et al. proposed to explain why introduced species sometimes 2010; Wingfeld et al. 2015). Here we discuss key aspects of become serious pests in their new ranges (Colautti et al. research on biological invasions, where international collab- 2004; Mitchell et al. 2006). Remarkably few studies have oration and coordination are important, and what infrastruc- actually quantifed the abundance and impact of invading tures play a role in this work. species in both native and introduced ranges, to test the D. R. Lance A. M. Liebhold (*) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine, Station, Morgantown, WV, USA Center for Plant Health Science and Technology, Buzzards Bay, e-mail: [email protected] MA, USA F. T. Campbell D. E. Pearson Center for Invasive Species Prevention, Springfeld, VA, USA U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, MT, USA D. R. Gordon Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, DC, USA Ecology and Evolution, Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA Q. Guo U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research S. E. Sing Station, Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Triangle Park, NC, USA Research Station, Bozeman, MT, USA N. Havill T. Warziniack U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Station, Hamden, CT, USA Research Station, Fort Collins, CO, USA B. Kinder R. C. Venette U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Washington U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Offce, Washington, DC, USA Station, St. Paul, MN, USA R. MacKenzie D. Yemshanov U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacifc Southwest Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Great Lakes Research Station, Institute of Pacifc Islands Forestry, Hilo, HI, USA Forestry Centre, Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Canada © The Author(s) 2021 293 T. M. Poland et al. (eds.), Invasive Species in Forests and Rangelands of the United States, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45367-1_13 294 A. M. Liebhold et al. occurrence of assumed novel ecological interactions (but see cation to a new range, comparing its population biology in Firn et al. 2011; Parker et al. 2013). Nonetheless, there are the native and invaded ranges can identify which factor(s) well-documented examples of non-native plants or animals drives population release in the newly invaded range, infor- that became serious pests as a result of their invasions alter- mation that may be critical in formulating management strat- ing hydrology, nutrient availability, fre regimes, etc. in ways egies. For organisms that are known pest species in both that extensively change the recipient environment (see Chap. ranges, studies of their populations in the native range before 2). Many vertebrate predator species not known to be prob- they are suffciently abundant to study in the new range can lem species in their native ranges have become devastating be critical to containing and controlling the invader before it pests after being introduced to island ecosystems that histori- becomes widespread. Furthermore, when eradication is cally lacked predators (Blackburn et al. 2004). Extreme pop- being employed, it is impractical to work with target organ- ulation growth and impacts on susceptible host trees, isms in the feld in the introduced range; aside from working exhibited by many non-native herbivorous insects and tree in a quarantine facility, the only alternative for acquiring pathogens, can be attributed in some cases to their lack of needed research involves conducting biological studies in top-down control by natural enemies, or, in other systems, to the native range or elsewhere within the introduced range. a lack of coevolved resistance in host trees (Bonello et al. Consequently, international collaboration among researchers 2006; Colautti et al. 2004; Keane and Crawley 2002). In and managers across the native and introduced ranges is many cases, the transformations that create pests are much crucial. more subtle and can only be understood via international col- All biological invasions can be partitioned into three laborations by studying the invader’s population dynamics major phases: arrival, establishment, and spread. Management and community interactions in both its native and introduced strategies corresponding to each of these phases are preven- ranges (Hierro et al. 2005). tion of species arrival, eradication (purposefully driving a In order to address the question of why non-native spe- species to extinction over a specifc area) to prevent estab- cies transform into invasive pests when introduced into a lishment, and containment to prevent or slow spread (see new geographic range, it is critical to understand the spe- Chap. 6). Once non-native species become widely estab- cifc changes in their ecology and community interactions lished and eradication is no longer possible, other manage- that allow them to become pests. Acquiring that knowledge ment options, such as biological control or breeding resistant requires understanding how ecological interactions differ in trees, may be appropriate (see Chaps. 7 and 8). a species’ native and introduced ranges. For example, the enemy release hypothesis postulates that non-native species become problematic in their newly invaded ranges because 13.2 Prevention they are released from population controls afforded by their specialist natural enemies (Keane and Crawley 2002). If this A key step in the prevention of destructive invasions is to hypothesis is valid, then introducing natural enemies from identify potentially damaging species in native habitats in the pest’s native range could potentially reestablish control their regions of origin and use this information to designate over its populations in the newly invaded range. This con- import quarantines. However, obtaining information about cept provides the theoretical basis for classical biological potential invaders, both in their native ranges and invaded control, i.e., the introduction of natural enemies from the ranges outside of the United States, may be diffcult. Thus, pest’s native range to control its populations in the invaded international collaboration and data sharing are critical to range (van Driesche and Bellows 1996), a widely applied implementing effective biosecurity strategies. management tool for invasive pests which in many cases has proven to be highly successful (Huffaker and Kennett 1959; Available Data Information that is available through the McFadyen 1998; van Driesche et al. 2008) (see Chap. 7). public domain has vastly increased our ability to access and Similarly, when the pestilence of non-native insects or share specialized information on invasive species. The pathogens can be attributed to a lack of coevolved host tree International Association for the Plant Protection Sciences resistance, this suggests that benefts may be gained through disseminates largely informal reports on plant pests and their breeding for tree resistance (Sniezko 2006) (see Chaps. 7 management in both their native and invaded ranges through and 8). a dedicated website, Global Plant Protection News (https:// Whether translocations create new invasive pests or sim- iapps2010.me). The Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience ply extend populations of pests, study of the invasive pest in International’s (CABI) Invasive Species Compendium both its native and newly invaded range can be crucial to the (https://www.cabi.org/isc) is an encyclopedic resource with development of effective management strategies (e.g., detailed datasheets that have been sourced from experts and McEvoy and Coombs 1999). Accordingly, for a non-native peer-reviewed literature and includes images and range organism which becomes an invasive