Abstract The peer review process has been fundamental to scientific publishing since the mid-twentieth century because it helps to ensure scientific rigor and integrity. However, as fewer scientists seem willing to undertake manuscript review and the number of papers submitted keeps climbing, the peer-review process has become increasingly fraught. In recent years, a “reviewer crisis” has emerged seemingly owing to reviewer fatigue, inequitable workloads, and relentless critics on social media platforms that castigate large publishing houses for exploiting unpaid labor. This study investigates trends in reviewer engagement at the journal Biological Invasions using editorial data from 2003 to 2024. We examined trends in reviewer acceptance and decline rates, differences by career stage, and global variation in review completion rates. Our results show that reviewer acceptance rates have dropped steadily over the past two decades, converging with increasing decline rates. Early-career researchers had the highest acceptance and lowest decline rates, while senior scholars were least likely to accept review invitations. Geographic analysis revealed uneven reviewer follow-through across countries, with some lower-income nations outperforming high-income countries. These findings highlight the need for structural reform in the peer review process. Potential solutions include targeted incentives, expanded reviewer training, equitable invitation practices, compensation, and formal recognition of reviewer contributions. Without such measures, the current system—reliant on altruism and strained by increasing publication volume—risks becoming unsustainable. Our analysis provides empirical insight into the dynamics of reviewer participation and suggests steps to support a more sustainable peer review ecosystem.

Abstract Restoring invaded communities requires understanding whether native declines are driven directly by invader competition versus changes to abiotic conditions associated with invader presence. In forest understories, declines in spring ephemerals could result from invasion or by loss of leaf litter layers (associated with invasive earthworms and shrubs) which native ephemerals evolved to emerge from annually. We investigate how native ephemerals (Erythronium spp.) are affected by leaf litter absence with and without competition with the functionally similar invader lesser celandine (Ficaria verna). The absence of litter reduced Erythronium asexual reproduction (corm biomass) by 30%, with reductions magnified to 50% when celandine was also present. Celandine impacts occurred despite celandine having limited aboveground growth under common garden conditions, indicating belowground competition with celandine is sufficient to substantially impact Erythronium. This reduced clonal growth would eventually hinder Erythronium sexual reproduction because flowering only occurs in large individuals. Both Erythronium species responded similarly to treatments: in response to shading from litter, Erythronium produced larger and 72–93% heavier petioles and invested less in leaf blade tissue as a proportion of total shoot tissue. Though reduced leaf blade investment was correlated with reduced corm growth, net benefits of litter on growth outweighed negative effects of this biomass allocation tradeoff. These results demonstrate how, although direct competition from invasive plants can impact co-occurring natives, invader-induced changes to local environmental conditions also have important indirect effects. Management supporting native spring ephemerals should prevent losses of or restore depleted forest litter layers as well as reduce invasive competition.

Abstract The early identification of future invasive species is crucial for efficient management and preventing further biodiversity decline. Some general predictors of species’ invasiveness, such as association with humans, propagule pressure and particular species’ characteristics, are well established. However, obtaining these predictors can be costly and time-consuming, with varying predictive power across taxonomic groups and geographic contexts. To find general predictors of species’ invasion potential that are straightforward to collect for large groups of species, a recent idea suggests the use of macroevolutionary indicators, such as diversification, niche evolution and past dispersal rates. These macroevolutionary rates are proposed as proxies for characteristics linked to invasion potential, such as ecological niche breadth, evolutionary capacity, or competitive ability. However, this assumption is rarely tested, which is why it is uncertain whether macroevolutionary indicators can serve as reliable predictors of invasion success. Here, we first identify the assumptions made in studies that link macroevolutionary rates to current invasions. Second, we review the literature to evaluate which of these assumptions are supported by scientific evidence. Third, we test whether past biogeographic dispersal ability is a good proxy for current naturalisation success in 12 groups of tetrapods. We conclude that macroevolutionary indicators have substantial potential for predicting species’ future invasiveness. However, assumptions about the relationships between macroevolutionary indicators and species’ traits must be rigorously tested. Further, different invasion pathways (e.g. unintentional vs intentional transport and introduction) and geographical contexts (e.g. continents vs islands) may introduce variability in any general relationships.

In this study, we present an updated checklist of alien fish species occurring in Hungarian natural waters. In addition, by analyzing the taxonomic, original range, and spatio-temporal occurrence data of the species in question, we also present current invasion trends and distribution patterns. For the database compilation, we used literature reports, validated occurrence data published by non-research contributors (e.g., anglers), and our own unpublished faunistic data. The occurrence of species shows an exponentially increasing trend, with 89 out of the 130 registered species and hybrids appeared in the last 24 years. Most of the new species are thermophilic aquarium species, belonging to the orders Cichliformes (39%) and Siluriformes (29%). Recently, five species from the Anabantiformes order have emerged, posing a significant threat to the native fish fauna of Hungary. Spatial data analysis indicates that the most important introduction hotspots are currently found in some thermal habitats (mostly spa outflows), especially in the capital of Hungary (Budapest), and Lake Hévíz. Due to ongoing global warming, heat-impacted stream and river stretches may serve as starting points for new invasions in the near future. This assumption is supported by the recent distribution of toothcarps (Cyprinodontiformes), as their acclimatized stocks released from warmwater habitats are likely to overwinter in temperate water bodies as well.