Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40000670›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

The global distribution patterns of alien vertebrate richness in mountains.

Adrián García-Rodríguez, Bernd Lenzner, Julián A Velasco, Anna Schertler, Ali Omer, Hanno Seebens, César Capinha, Belinda Gallardo, Stefan Dullinger, Franz Essl

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Adrián García-RodríguezDivision of BioInvasions, Global Change & Macroecology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, AT 1030, Vienna, Austria. adrian.garcia@univie.ac.at.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9831-2963
Bernd LenznerDivision of BioInvasions, Global Change & Macroecology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, AT 1030, Vienna, Austria.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2616-3479
Julián A VelascoInstituto de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y Cambio Climático, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, México.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2183-5758
Anna SchertlerDivision of BioInvasions, Global Change & Macroecology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, AT 1030, Vienna, Austria.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6682-7719
Ali OmerDivision of BioInvasions, Global Change & Macroecology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, AT 1030, Vienna, Austria.
Hanno SeebensSenckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8993-6419
César CapinhaCentre of Geographical Studies, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0666-9755
Belinda GallardoInstituto Pirenaico de Ecología, CSIC. Avda. Montañana 1005, 50192, Zaragoza, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1552-8233
Stefan DullingerDivision of Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, AT 1030, Vienna, Austria.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3919-0887
Franz EsslDivision of BioInvasions, Global Change & Macroecology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, AT 1030, Vienna, Austria.

Funding

Austrian Science Fund (Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung) I 5825-BAustrian Science Fund (Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung) P 34688-BDeutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation) 521529463
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The diverse biotas of the world's mountains face a challenging future due to increasing threats like climate change, land-use change, and biological invasions, the last being particularly understudied in these regions. Here we compile occurrence records for 717 alien vertebrate species distributed in 2984 mountains worldwide. We analyze their distribution, biogeographic origin, presence in protected areas, and the drivers' explaining alien vertebrate richness in mountains. We find that the alien vertebrates most frequently recorded are birds (318 species) and mammals (161 species) reported in 2595 and 1518 mountains globally, respectively. The Palearctic, Nearctic, and Australasian realms are the most common recipients; the Nearctic, Indo-Malay, and Afrotropic realms are the most frequent donors. Almost 50% of the alien species studied also occur in protected areas. Proxies of anthropogenic impacts (e.g., higher road density or lower biodiversity intactness) and mountains' physical characteristics (e.g., elevation range and roughness) explain the distribution of alien vertebrates in mountains. Importantly, the magnitude of invasions in tropical mountains could be underestimated due to sampling bias towards the Northern Hemisphere and Australia. Our large-scale assessment reveals the advance of alien vertebrates in mountains worldwide and urges attention to minimize the impacts of biological invasions on the exceptional mountain biotas.

Indexed as

BiodiversityIntroduced SpeciesVertebratesAnimalsBirdsConservation of Natural ResourcesEcosystemMammals

Identifiers

PMID40000670
PMCPMC11862207

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.