Direct drivers of spontaneous exotic plant richness in Southern Patagonia from Argentina

Abstract

In this study, we assess whether exotic plant species richness in southern Patagonia is primarily constrained by environmental adversity, human activity or both. The establishment of exotic plant species has been linked to numerous factors, with human activity frequently acting as a primary catalyst. Case studies consistently show that human activities, including the construction of infrastructure such as roads, contribute to the spread of exotic species. Interactions between climate change (e.g. temperature increase; rainfall and hydrological change, increase in extreme weather events) and longstanding grazing threats presumably act synergistically to amplify impacts on plant diversity. Productive habitats were more occupied by exotic plants than less productive habitats. In southern Patagonia, there is little evidence that disturbance generates resources, including available space that in turn benefits exotic plant species. The analysis in this study provides essential information for preventing and mitigating invasion impacts while identifying key factors for the preservation of natural communities.