Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
08:16
Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
Published on: March 13, 2014
Neutral interactions among non-native plants are common
Feng He1, Zhiliang Yuan2, Yumei Sun1
1State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China.
The New Phytologist
|July 25, 2026
Summary
Multispecies plant invasions are common, but co-invaders rarely help each other thrive, with most interactions being neutral. Invasional meltdown is not the norm, as co-invasion often hinders non-native plant performance.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Invasive Species Biology
- Global Change Biology
Background:
- Globalization facilitates the spread of non-native plants, leading to increased multispecies co-invasions.
- Understanding interactions among co-invading plant species is crucial for predicting invasion dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the prevalence of plant co-invasions.
- To assess the impact of co-invasion on non-native plant performance.
- To determine the frequency and types of interactions among co-invading species.
Main Methods:
- Conducted extensive field surveys across 3039 plots.
- Performed a global meta-analysis of 4415 observations from 122 experiments.
- Quantified co-invasion prevalence, performance effects, and interaction types (competition, facilitation, neutral).
Main Results:
- Co-invasion occurred in 40% of surveyed plots.
- On average, co-invasion reduced non-native plant performance by 18%.
- Most interactions were neutral (70%), with competition (18%) and facilitation (12%) being less common.
Conclusions:
- Invasional meltdown among plant species is not the typical outcome of co-invasion.
- Interaction outcomes are context-dependent, influenced by species richness and traits.
- Findings provide a framework for assessing and mitigating risks associated with multispecies plant invasions.
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