Stakeholder priorities determine the impact of an alien tree invasion on ecosystem multifunctionality

While the ecological impact of environmental change drivers, such as alien plant invasions, is relatively well described, quantitative social-ecological studies detailing how these changes multiple ecosystem services, and subsequently stakeholders, are lacking. We used a approach to assess Prosopis juliflora (Prosopis henceforth), an invasive tree, affects provision services different stakeholder groups in degraded East African dryland. combined plot-based data on impacts tree indicators service supply with questionnaire survey describing priorities from eight groups. These were then quantify invasion impacted individual overall relative each group, using multifunctionality metric. In study area, we found that significantly increased shade, wood production honey production, but reduced water availability, tourism potential biodiversity protection. Priorities for specific differed between Although most assigned high priority provisioning crop it was either or cultural which primary source income, deemed important. Combining showed saw net decrease increasing invasion, no significant overall. Increasing cover only two groups, charcoal producers NGOs involved regional development. Our research highlights need account global multifunctionality. there conflicting patterns resulting large variation by tree. also possible synergies conflicts when managing this invasion. More broadly, recommend future explicitly consider differing priorities, strongly influence perceived land management change. A free Plain Language Summary can be within Supporting Information article.