Invasive Plants in Coastal Wetlands: Patterns and Mechanisms

As typically distinctive ecotones, coastal wetlands have been narrowing between halophytic plant communities such as mangroves, salt marsh, and seagrass. Plant invasions can be magnified because of high dynamics in these regions. Multiple and rapid global change factors combined with strong anthropogenic disturbance would greatly aggravate the invasiveness of some plants and ecosystem invisibility. To date, about 30 species including trees, shrubs, grass, and vine were found as invasive plants in coastal wetlands according to a current♠ database. Most of them were introduced by humans with purposes of ornamental, seawall protection, or ecosystem reforestation. After tens or hundreds years of introduction, some ecological consequences have emerged, and their invasiveness has been proved. For some species with economic values or ecological reforestation advantages, overuse or management increased their spread and survival in new habitats. However, there are still many species with an invasive potential that should be studied. Some effective evaluating systems for their risk assessments are urgently needed. Looking forward for long-term planning improved databases, and new predictive tools that could be integrated to provide benefits in any future scenarios.