Exotic species are thought to alter the structure of natural communities and disrupt ecosystem functioning through invasion. Nevertheless, exotic species may also provide ecological insurance when they contribute to maintain ecosystem functions after the decline of native species following anthropogenic disturbance. Here, this hypothesis is tested with the assemblage of frugivorous birds and fl...

The invasive spread of exotic plants in native vegetation can pose serious threats to native faunal assemblages. This is of particular concern for reptiles and amphibians because they form a significant component of the world's vertebrate fauna, play a pivotal role in ecosystem functioning and are often neglected in biodiversity research. A framework to predict how exotic plant invasion will af...

Although rarely examined, apparent competition, whereby exotic plants increase consumer pressure on native plants, could play a significant role in affecting native plant establishment in invaded habitats. Moreover, although terrestrial consumer communities often contain many consumer species, little is known about which consumers may generate apparent competition, and whether the strength or m...