A Habitat-Classification Framework and Typology for Understanding, Valuing, and Managing Invasive Species Impacts - Management of Invasive Weeds - page 79

Table 5.1 Four habitat types of relevance to biotic invasions

Habitat char-
acteristics

Traits of
invader

Impacts of
invader

Management
action Habitat type Research focus

Anthropogenic
habitat

Disturbed or
anthropo-
genic

“Weedy”
invaders
such as
ruderal,
or early
successional
species

Reservoir for
invasions
into bio-
diversity
areas

Reduction of
propagule
pressure

Upscaling of
control
methods to
large areas

Competition
with native
ruderal
species

Mainstreaming
invasive spe-
cies control
in different
production
sectors

Socio-eco-
logical
research
on plant
invasions,
e.g. urban
and agri-
cultural
ecology

Increase of
biodiver-
sity of
anthropo-
genic habi-
tat, and
substitute
for native
species

Reference
habitat

Undisturbed,
“high qual-
ity nature”

Traits similar
to native
species, but
possibly
with some
novel traits

May be low,
if no novel
traits are
involved

Early detection
and eradica-
tion

Long-term
and
indirect
impacts

May be indi-
rect or
cryptic

Monitoring of
native biota
and ecosys-
tem function-
ing

Indicators of
ecosystem
health

Long-term
effects
uncertain

Ecology of
rare native
species
and com-
munities

Abandoned
habitat

Abandoned
land after
prior
exposure
to strong
anthropo-
genic dis-
turbance

Depends on
initial state
and succes-
sional stage
of the habi-
tat (time
since distur-
bance)

Positive, nega-
tive, or
both

Directing sec-
ondary
succession
according to
management
goals

Stability and
function-
ing of
novel
assemblies
of native
and alien
species
(continued)