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Estudo: Plantas invasoras podem mesmo levar à extinção de nativas

Vários estudos e relatórios defendem que as plantas invasoras podem levar à diminuição das plantas nativas, mas não eliminá-las totalmente. Ou seja, pequenas populações das plantas nativas acabariam sempre por sobreviver ficando acantonadas em pequenas áreas onde as invasoras teriam menos sucesso.

No entanto, um estudo recente diz que é muito provável que as pequenas populações de plantas nativas que sobrevivem virão, a mais longo prazo, a extinguir-se.  

Much of the debate surrounding the threat posed to biodiversity by the invasions of non-native species is fueled by recent findings that competition from introduced plants has driven remarkably few plant species to extinction. Instead, native plant species in invaded ecosystems are often relegated to patchy, marginal habitats unsuitable to their nonnative competitors.

However, Gilbert and co-author Jonathan Levine of ETH Zurich say that it is uncertain whether the colonization and extinction dynamics of the plants in marginal habitats will allow long-term native persistence.

“Of particular concern is the possibility that short term persistence of native flora in invaded habitats masks eventual extinction,” says Levine.

Invading Species Can Extinguish Native Plants Despite Recent Reports to the Contrary, ScienceDaily.com