en.Wedoany.com Reported - A research team from the University of Vienna has released a study predicting a significant shift in the global distribution hotspots of invasive plants by the end of the 21st century: currently, about one-third of the Earth's land area is already an invasion hotspot, mainly concentrated in subtropical and warm temperate zones (including most of Europe), but these hotspots are expected to move toward colder Central Europe and polar regions in the future, while subtropical semi-arid areas will shrink due to increasing heat and aridity. Europe is projected to face the further spread of ragweed and black locust, and even remote northern and polar regions will see increased vulnerability in their native ecosystems.

Combining distribution data for 9,701 alien plant species with ecological indicators, the study used high-precision modeling to analyze invasion risks under current conditions and different future climate and land-use scenarios. The results indicate that the species composition of invasive plants will also change: new species adapted to climate warming will emerge, thereby exacerbating negative impacts on native biodiversity and human health in densely populated areas. The related findings were published in Nature Ecology & Evolution under the title "The global geography of plant invasion risk under future climate and land-use changes."

For more discussion on invasive species, attention can be directed to the academic conference "Invasive Species as a Potential Threat to Russia's Biological Security: Challenges and Risks," to be held on May 26, 28, and 29, 2026, at the All-Russian Plant Quarantine Center (ФГБУ «Всероссийский центр карантина растений»). The conference will feature a session on "Plant Protection and Quarantine: Biology and Control of Invasive Species."

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