What impact can invasive species have on native resources?

Invasive species can significantly disrupt resource competition within an ecosystem, leading to profound effects on native species and ecological balance. When an invasive species is introduced to a new environment, it often lacks natural predators and diseases that would typically regulate its population. This allows it to proliferate rapidly, often outcompeting native species for essential resources such as food, water, and habitat.

As invasive species establish themselves, they can monopolize resources or alter the availability of resources in ways that disadvantage native organisms. This disruption can lead to diminished populations of native species, as they struggle to compete for the now limited resources. The change in resource dynamics can result in a decline in biodiversity, as some native species may be unable to adapt to the new competitive landscape created by the invasive species.

In contrast to improving resource availability or creating new ecological niches, which are rarely positive outcomes for native ecosystems, the competitive advantage that invasive species gain generally leads to detrimental effects on the native flora and fauna. The interruption of existing resource competition ultimately reshapes the ecological community and threatens the stability of habitats.