Mycorrhizal strategy of non-native plants varies with biome and disturbance

Cazzaniga S.G.; Lauber T.; van den Hoogen J.; Beaury E.M.; Bueno C.G.; Bever J.D.; Damasceno G.; Catford J.; Lenoir J.; Martin A.; Mori A.S.; Novakovskiy A.; Gutiérrez A.G.; González-Robles A.; de Gasper A.L.; Moles A.; Stanisci A.; Csecserits A.; Jentsch A.; Kuzemko A.; Perea A.J.; Nerlekar A.; Munje A.; Güler B.; Jiménez-Alfaro B.; Hérault B.; Pinho B.X.; Baraloto C.; Rossi C.; Hending D.; Laughlin D.C.; Rogers D.; Schellenberger Costa D.; Thakur D.; Uogintas D.; Chacón-Madrigal E.; Alvarez-Davila E.; Weiher E.; Thomas E.; Gonçalves F.; Rodrigues F.; Sabatini F.M.; Schurr F.M.; Essl F.; Zizka G.; Bonari G.; Swacha G.; Chen H.Y.H.; Bruelheide H.; Ford H.; Wang H.-F.; Biurrun I.; Aubin I.; Dembicz I.; Willie J.; Altman J.; Svenning J.-C.; Lichstein J.W.; Moeslund J.E.; Dolezal J.; Cornelissen J.H.C.; Hunter J.; Messier J.; Dengler J.; Homeier J.; Orwin K.H.; Korznikov K.; Van Meerbeek K.; Macía M.J.; Schmidt M.; Varricchione M.; Carlucci M.B.; Spasojevic M.; Giorgis M.A.; Chytrý M.; El-Sheikh M.A.; Hatim M.Z.; Kraft N.J.B.; Mohanbabu N.; Phillips O.L.; Reich P.B.; Pielech R.; Arasa-Gisbert R.; Guarino R.; Testolin R.; Tarifa R.; Mukul S.A.; Phartyal S.S.; Schmitt S.; Haider S.; Dziuba T.; Domingues T.; Liu U.; Golub V.; Silva V.; Fontana V.; Vandvik V.; Kissling W.D.; Stančić Z.; Winter M.; Crowther T.W.; Delavaux C.S. · Nature Ecology and Evolution (2026) · DOI: 10.1038/s41559-026-03144-9

Resumen

Predicting which non-native plant species will become established and where is critical for conserving and managing biodiversity. Theory suggests that the mycorrhizal strategy of non-native plants may predict their establishment success. Here we combine a global dataset of 440,788 vegetation plots with data on plant native status and mycorrhizal type to assess mycorrhizal strategy of non-native plants. The mycorrhizal strategy of non-native plants varies strongly across biomes. Across grassland and desert biomes, non-native species are more frequently non-mycorrhizal than native species, whereas in other biomes non-native species are more likely to be mycorrhizal, most commonly arbuscular-mycorrhizal. Disturbance type and intensity are key predictors of mycorrhizal strategy of non-native species, as mycorrhizal species are favoured by landscape modification and non-mycorrhizal species by natural and human-caused disturbance events. Facultatively mycorrhizal species are consistently under-represented among non-native plants compared with natives, suggesting that symbiotic flexibility does not confer an advantage for non-natives as previously expected. Our study shows that non-native mycorrhizal strategy varies across biogeographical contexts and disturbance, highlighting the need for region-specific prevention and management approaches to plant species introductions. © The Author(s) 2026.