Invaders and Guardians 2.0: When Nature Itself Tackles the Threat of Invasive Insects

Biological invasions by insects are increasing worldwide, driven by global trade, climate change, and habitat modification. Over the past decades, research in invasion biology has largely focused on introduction pathways, establishment processes, and the ecological and economic impacts of invasive species. This has led to significant advances in the detection, identification, and monitoring of newly introduced insects across a wide range of environments.However, growing evidence indicates that invaded ecosystems are not passive. Native communities, natural enemies, and environmental constraints can generate forms of ecological resistance that influence invasion outcomes. At the same time, invasive insects are often capable of rapid adaptation to novel conditions, including shifts in climate, host plants, and biotic interactions.These insights are driving a shift from descriptive approaches towards a more integrative and process-based understanding of invasions, where ecological interactions, evolutionary dynamics, and management strategies are considered together.This Research Topic aims to move beyond the simple documentation of invasive insect species and towards a more integrative understanding of the processes shaping invasion success and containment. The focus is on how ecological resistance emerges across systems, and how both invasive species and native communities respond and adapt to novel interactions and environmental pressures.At the same time, the Research Topic recognizes the continued value of well-documented reports of new introductions, early detections, and species identifications, particularly when embedded within an ecological and biogeographical framework. Such contributions are essential to uncover invasion pathways, track establishment dynamics, and capture the earliest stages of interaction with native communities.Recent advances highlight that invaded ecosystems are not passive: native natural enemies, microbial associates, and ecological networks can respond dynamically, sometimes enhancing resilience and limiting pest impacts. In parallel, invasive insects may rapidly adjust to local conditions, including climate, host plants, and biotic pressures.Increasingly, these processes are being explored through predictive and process-based or physiologically-based models, which provide a powerful framework to anticipate invasion dynamics, evaluate ecological resistance, and support management strategies under changing environmental conditions.This Topic also emphasizes the role of nature-based solutions, such as biological control, habitat management, and landscape-level strategies in strengthening ecological resistance and mitigating invasion impacts. Overall, the Research Topic aims to promote a more predictive and integrative perspective on invasive insect ecology in a rapidly changing world.This Research Topic welcomes contributions that explore the mechanisms underlying invasive insect dynamics and ecosystem responses. Topics of interest include ecological resistance and biotic interactions (e.g., predation, parasitism), rapid evolutionary responses of both invasive and native species, climate-driven shifts in invasion dynamics, multitrophic interactions, and the role of microbial symbionts. Contributions employing theoretical, statistical, or simulation-based models are particularly encouraged, especially when aimed at predicting invasion dynamics, assessing ecological resistance, or evaluating the effectiveness of management and nature-based solutions under different environmental scenarios.Well-contextualized reports of new invasive species, early detections, and taxonomic or molecular identification studies are also encouraged, especially when they provide insight into invasion pathways, establishment processes, or emerging ecological interactions.Particular attention is given to nature-based approaches, including biological control, habitat management, and ecosystem restoration strategies aimed at enhancing resilience to invasions.Submissions may include original research articles, reviews, perspectives, and case studies that combine descriptive and process-based approaches. Contributions bridging scales, from local observations to broader ecological patterns, are especially welcome. Topic editors: Francesco Nugnes, Francisco José Beitia Crespo, Luca Rossini Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80816/invaders-and-guardians-20-when-nature-itself-tackles-the-threat-of-invasive-insects