The Invasion Ecology of Sleeper Populations: Prevalence, Persistence, and Abrupt Shifts

ABSTRACT It is well established that nonnative species are a key driver of global environmental change, but much less known about the underlying drivers outbreaks themselves. In present article, we explore concept and implications sleeper populations in invasion dynamics. Such persist at low abundance for years or even decades—a period during which they often go undetected have negligible impact—until triggered by an factor to become highly abundant disruptive. Population irruptions commonly misinterpreted as recent arrival species, belie more complex history inconspicuous occurrence followed abrupt shift ecological impact. identify mechanisms can trigger their irruption, invasive risk assessment management.