From Cities to Coasts: Invasive Species in Anthropised Environments

Biological invasions are inherently linked to human activities, as the movement of species beyond their native ranges is largely driven by global trade, transport, and landscape alteration. However, the degree of environmental transformation varies across ecosystems, creating variable conditions that can amplify or reshape invasion dynamics. Highly anthropised environments (such as urbanised and polluted areas, degraded habitats, industrialised coasts, and port systems) often exhibit altered disturbance regimes, imposing new ecological filters and ultimately generating unique opportunities for the establishment and spread of invasive alien species. Overall, this can involve changes in behaviour, ecophysiology, and evolutionary biology of these introduced species. Understanding how invaders respond and adapt to these gradients of human disturbance is essential to anticipate their ecological and socioeconomic impacts. Yet, despite the growing number of studies on biological invasions, the processes and mechanisms that drive invasions in human-modified environments remain largely underexplored and fragmented across ecosystems.This Research Topic aims to bring together contributions that explore how human modifications of the environment influence the distribution, establishment, adaptation, biology, and impacts of invasive species across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. While anthropised environments often create new possibilities for invaders, they also provide a unique opportunity to investigate evolutionary mechanisms occurring in a timescale compatible with human life. Therefore, we seek to clarify how anthropogenic pressures (such as urbanization, pollution, infrastructure development, and global trade) shape invasion processes and outcomes. By integrating insights from a wide range of habitats and taxa, this multidisciplinary Research Topic aims to identify common mechanisms and ecosystem-specific responses, promoting a comprehensive understanding of invasion mechanisms in the Anthropocene. We would like to encourage collaboration among researchers working on different subfields, connecting terrestrial and aquatic perspectives. Ultimately, this Research Topic will serve as a platform for advancing both theoretical understanding and applied strategies for mitigating the ecological, economic, and social impacts of invasive species in human-dominated environments.This Research Topic welcomes contributions that address any aspect of biological invasions in human-modified environments. Relevant topics include (but are not limited to): introduction pathways and vectors, distributional changes and new occurrence records, population dynamics and adaptive responses to anthropogenic pressures, species interactions in altered habitats, and ecological or socioeconomic impacts of invasions. Moreover, contributions focusing on management challenges, policy implications, early detection and monitoring in urban contexts are also encouraged. We invite Original Research, Brief Research Reports, Reviews, Methods papers, and Perspectives. Comparative or cross-ecosystem approaches, as well as studies integrating terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems, are particularly welcome. Topic editors: Jonatan Rodríguez, Francesco Tiralongo Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77123/from-cities-to-coasts-invasive-species-in-anthropised-environments