Research on the ecology and impacts of invasive alien species: a systematic literature review

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> Throughout history, the spread of many species of plants, animals and other organisms has been governed by natural processes. The advent of globalisation, the development of trade and people movement have largely contributed to the spread of many species around the world. As a result, species are continually being introduced into new ecological zones. Some of them are establishing themselves as harmful invaders. Their wide distribution has given rise to numerous concerns due to their negative impacts on natural ecosystems and the disappearance of local species, resulting in a loss of biodiversity. Unfortunately, these problems are often perceived at a late stage. There is an urgent need to highlight the repercussions of these species. The aim of this work is to highlight the state of research on the ecology and impacts of invasive alien species in order to provide guidance for research and decision-making. This study used a dual approach combining bibliometric analyses and the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) protocol. VOSviewer and R software were used to generate relevant illustrations. The data analysed reveals a sustained growth in the number of scientific publications on the topic. This trend reflects the growing interest of researchers in the issue of invasive alien species, which is considered as a major subject for study. However, it has to be said that most of this work is not part of a national policy that includes concrete measures to be implemented by governments. It is therefore a priority to increase the volume of relevant studies aimed at establishing a link between fundamental data on invasive alien species and management programmes and policies at local, regional and national levels.