Knowledge on reproductive traits of problematic invasive alien plants, such as the woody invasive shrub Pyracantha angustifolia of temperate Chinese origin, can help better manage invasive species. To determine factors contributing to its invasion, we investigated floral visitors and pollen loads, self-compatibility, seed set, seed rain, soil seed banks, and seed longevity in the soil. Generalist insects were recorded visiting flowers and all carried pollen loads of high purity (>70%). Floral visitor exclusion experiments showed that P. angustifolia can set seed (66%) without pollen vectors, although natural pollination resulted in higher fruit set (91%). Fruit count surveys and seed set showed an exponentially increased relationship between seed set and plant size with high natural seed yield (±2 million seeds m⁻²). Soil core samples revealed a high seed density of 46,400 ± (SE) 8934 m⁻² under shrubs, decreasing with distance away from the shrub. Bowl traps stationed under trees and fences confirmed that seeds were efficiently dispersed by animals. Buried seeds survived for less than six months in the soil. Due to high seed production, self-compatibility augmented by generalist pollen vectors, and effective seed dispersal by local frugivores, it is difficult to manage the spread manually. Management of this species should focus on the short life span of seeds.

The increasing concern of biological invasions and their multiple impacts have made the translation of scientific knowledge into practical action an urgent global priority. This need is explicitly recognized in Target 6 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework for 2030. Although a growing body of invasion science literature addresses a wide range of management methods for numerous invasive species, access to this knowledge remains limited for practitioners and decision-makers. This is largely because available information is often highly specialized, fragmented, taxonomically and geographically biased, and primarily targeted toward academic audiences. To overcome this barrier, it is essential to foster collaboration among researchers with diverse backgrounds to develop synthesis studies capable of analyzing large and complex datasets with the aim of identifying and prioritizing management strategies, and translating them into practical, user-friendly tools. We developed a reproducible workflow to: conduct a collaborative, comprehensive review of the scientific literature on naturalized and invasive plant management in mountain ecosystems, extract and analyze outcomes, systematically classifying management strategies according to their effectiveness, and validate the results with experts, while making all the information accessible through a global online database tailored for stakeholders and written in clear, non-technical language. conduct a collaborative, comprehensive review of the scientific literature on naturalized and invasive plant management in mountain ecosystems, extract and analyze outcomes, systematically classifying management strategies according to their effectiveness, and validate the results with experts, while making all the information accessible through a global online database tailored for stakeholders and written in clear, non-technical language. The list of naturalized plants in mountain areas (n = 564) was obtained from the MIREN (Mountain Invasion Research Network) global database. The species with the highest number of articles related to management strategies were Bromus tectorum , Lantana camara , Ailanthus altissima , Robinia pseudoacacia , Solidago canadensis , Cytisus scoparius and Impatiens glandulifera . Of the total articles retrieved (n = 5425), 15% met our inclusion criteria and were selected for data extraction. So far, 438 articles were analyzed, evaluating a total of 930 treatments across 62 countries, with most studies conducted in the United States, followed by South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Overall, 82% of treatments corresponded to non-integrated approaches, while only 18% addressed integrated management strategies. Among the non-integrated treatments, chemical methods were the most common (42.4%), followed by biological (38%), mechanical (16.6%), and restoration-based approaches (3%). Chemical and biological treatments showed the highest effectiveness; however, chemical methods were also associated with higher levels of unintended effects. This ongoing project will result in a structured evidence database and a decision-support resource that facilitates the identification of effective management actions across contexts. It represents an important first step toward scaling up this approach to naturalized alien plants globally. Importantly, the researchers involved in this initiative come from different countries and diverse research backgrounds, strengthening evidence interpretation and helping to identify both the feasibility of management actions and gaps in management experiences across contexts. Likewise, the ultimate data validation will be carried out with experts from the field and experienced stakeholders, during interdisciplinary workshops. Together, these efforts aim to bridge the gap between science and practice and to enhance the effectiveness of plant invasion management at a global scale.

Invasive alien plants can provide economic or cultural benefits to local communities, influencing perceptions and potentially affecting management decisions. Understanding these perceptions is crucial to avoiding inefficiencies, misunderstandings and conflicts in the management of invasive alien species. Our study explored community perceptions and interactions with the fleshy‐fruited invasive shrub Pyracantha angustifolia (Franch.) C. K. Schneid in South Africa's montane grasslands, using mainly in‐person questionnaires, as well as telephonic and online questionnaires, conducted between 2021 and 2022. Results showed that while communities occasionally consumed the fruits, which were mostly eaten by children, acting both as seed predators and dispersers, the fruits were not used for subsistence purposes. Residents generally did not perceive P. angustifolia as problematic, while farmers and conservation practitioners considered it detrimental because of its impact on grazing, recreation and vegetation structure. Fire was considered the least effective control method over mechanical and chemical control, while government‐supported initiatives, such as the Expanded Public Works Programme, were the most preferred form of assistance for management. Understanding how communities interact with and perceive invasive alien plants is essential for aligning ecological goals with social realities and reducing potential conflicts. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.