Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Center for Environmental Studies, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
Trends Ecol Evol. 2007 Sep;22(9):465-71. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2007.06.009. Epub 2007 Jul 20.
Species invasions provide numerous unplanned and frequently, but imperfectly, replicated experiments that can be used to better understand the natural world. Classic studies by Darwin, Grinnell, Elton and others on these species-invasion experiments provided invaluable insights for ecology and evolutionary biology. Recent studies of invasions have resulted in additional insights, six of which we discuss here; these insights highlight the utility of using exotic species as 'model organisms'. We also discuss a nascent hypothesis that might provide a more general, predictive understanding of invasions and community assembly. Finally, we emphasize how the study of invasions can help to inform our understanding of applied problems, such as extinction, ecosystem function and the response of species to climate change.
物种入侵提供了大量未计划且经常（但不完善）复制的实验，可用于更好地了解自然界。达尔文、格里诺尔、埃尔顿等人对这些物种入侵实验的经典研究为生态学和进化生物学提供了宝贵的见解。最近对入侵的研究有了更多的新发现，我们在这里讨论其中的六个；这些新发现突出了将外来物种用作“模式生物”的效用。我们还讨论了一个新兴假说，该假说可能为更普遍、可预测的入侵和群落组装提供理解。最后，我们强调了入侵研究如何帮助我们理解应用问题，如灭绝、生态系统功能以及物种对气候变化的反应。
