Uncovering the role of chemical pollutants in shaping biological invasions

Abstract

Ecosystems around the globe are under unprecedented pressure from human activities. Chemical pollution and biological invasions are two leading drivers of environmental change, each of which causes substantial harm to wildlife and the ecosystems they inhabit. However, despite their individual impacts being well-documented, the combined effects of these pervasive environmental pressures are seldom studied. Here, we address this critical gap by first examining the potential interactions between chemical pollution and biological invasions in animals. We then discuss possible impacts of chemical pollution on animals—both invasive and native—across the distinct stages of the invasion process. Further, we examine gaps in our current understanding of the potential interactions between chemical pollution and biological invasions, including the role of pollutants in mediating interactions between native and non-native species, how pollutants may influence the potential for the invasion process to act as a selective filter, and the relevance of phenotypic plasticity and behavioural syndromes in this context. By synthesizing current knowledge and identifying key research gaps, this review underscores the importance of considering chemical pollution and biological invasions in combination in ecological research. Understanding the combined impacts of these widespread and frequently co-occurring phenomena is essential for developing effective conservation and restoration measures in an increasingly human-modified world.

Keywords

contaminant; direct and indirect effects; ecological impact; ecotoxicology; invasive species; toxicity

Published in

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
2025, volume: 292, number: 2057, article number: 20251232

SLU Authors

• Brand, Jack

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Zoological Society of London

• Thoré, Eli

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • University of Namur

• Brodin, Tomas

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Martin, Jake

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Deakin University
  • La Trobe University
  • Monash University

• Munson, Amelia

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Bertram, Michael

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Monash University
  • Stockholm University

UKÄ Subject classification

Environmental Sciences
Ecology

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.1232

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/144380