Assessing Species at High Risk of Invasion in the Southeastern United States in Current and Near-Future Climate Scenarios
Background
The most cost-effective way to address invasive species is with prevention and a plan for early detection and rapid response (EDRR; Reaser et al. 2020). Predicting invasive species that are of the greatest risk of establishing in new regions is often done with horizon scanning processes (Roy et al. 2014). Many such scans for the United States exist and have produced high-risk species lists (Lieurance et al. 2023, Daniel et al. 2025).
However, the global scale and comprehensive nature of nationwide lists complicate their utility for management and policy at regional to local extents; there is a need for region-specific high-risk species lists for species already in the U.S.
Outline
Herein, we use a nation-wide list of nonnative species to prioritize species most at risk of becoming established in the Southeastern United States based on their climate suitability, life histories, and pathways in current climate scenarios. We also predict where species may be likely to spread in the future using climate projections for the region. This information is invaluable for managers doing EDRR work in the region and will help prioritize information gaps and monitoring.
Time Commitment:
~25 hours over ~8 weeks
This project is highly collaborative, and we are seeking natural resource managers, researchers, and early-career scientists (including students in all stages) from across the southeast.
