IMPACTS OF BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS ON DISTURBANCE REGIMES

Human management activities have altered the frequency and intensity o f ecosystem disturbance often with enormous impacts on landscape struc ture and composition. One additional and under-appreciated way in whic h humans have altered disturbance regimes is through the introduction of invasive non-native species, themselves capable of modifying existi ng disturbance regimes or introducing entirely new disturbances. In ma ny cases, modifications of disturbance regimes results in maintenance of ecosystems in a new or transitional state. There is now evidence th at alteration of disturbance regime may be the most profound effect th at a species or functional group can have on ecosystem structure and f unction.