How Invasive Species Rely on, Disrupt, and Reshape Mutualisms

In nature, cooperation between species—known as mutualism—is fundamental to sustaining biodiversity. Whether it is bees pollinating flowers or fungi nourishing plant roots, these mutually beneficial relationships underpin the functioning and resilience of ecosystems. Yet, as Aizen and Torres (2024) reveal, the global spread of invasive species is closely linked to these very interactions: invaders both depend on mutualisms and often disrupt them.