DATA FOR: Predictive invasion dynamics in American populations of the Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto

Abstract

Species invasions represent a significant dimension of global change, and yet the dynamics of invasions remain poorly understood and are considered rather unpredictable. We explored year-to-year dynamics of the invasion process in the Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto), and tested whether the advance of the species’ invasion front in North America was related to centrality (versus peripherality) within the species’ estimated fundamental ecological niche. Although our initial hypothesis was that the invasion front would advance faster over more favorable (i.e., more central) conditions, in fact the reverse was the case: the invasion expanded faster in areas presenting less favorable conditions for the species. This result offers a first view of a predictive approach to the dynamics of species invasions, and thereby has important and highly relevant implications for management of many invasive species.