Architectural shift to epiphytism fuels exotic bryophyte invasiveness.

Abstract

Anthropogenic activities reshape ecosystems globally, creating conditions that facilitate the establishment of alien species. Disruption of ecological balance enables alien species to become invasive - a property characterized by a species' capacity to spread and become dominant in its introduced range, outcompeting indigenous species, and leading to their displacement or extinction¹. Beyond its biological relevance, understanding the mechanisms promoting invasiveness is crucial for predicting and mitigating ecological and socioeconomic impacts. Over 2,840 invasive vascular land plant species have been reported^2,3, whereas fewer than 100 bryophyte species have been documented as alien, with only a small fraction exhibiting invasive characteristics⁴.