Invasive species are a global conservation problem that have an enormous economic cost. Understanding the attributes of invasive species and what makes them successful at colonizing and flourishing in novel environments is therefore essential for preventing and ameliorating their negative impact. Learning ability and behavioral flexibility—the ability to adjust behavior flexibly when conditions change including to learn to solve novel problems or existing problems in a novel way, are thought to play a key role during invasions although cognitive ability is rarely considered in studies of invasive species. We begin by reviewing the evidence that flexible learning and problem solving can influence invasion success in both invertebrates and vertebrates. We also review brain size as an index of cognitive ability with respect to invasion success. We then focus on the specific attributes of cognition that are likely to be important for species entering novel environments as they learn the location of resources (e.g., food, shelter), and as they encounter and interact with conspecifics, heterospecifics, and potential predators. We suggest that enhanced spatial learning ability in conjunction with behavioral flexibility are likely to be adaptive. Furthermore, good memory retention and the ability to learn from others (both conspecifics and heterospecifics) are beneficial. Finally, we suggest future directions for studying the link between cognition, fitness, and invasion success. Studies of closely related “invasive” and “non-invasive” species, as well as invasive populations and their source, should provide important baseline information about the potential role of cognitive ability in determining invasion success. We also advocate an experimental approach. In particular, we borrow methods from experimental evolutionary ecology. We suggest that experimental studies in which potential invasive species can be assayed for behavior and their cognitive ability measured prior to population-level release on small islands will help inform us about the potential role of cognitive ability in determining the fitness of invasive species. The idea that cognitive ability may determine invasion success is only now starting to gain traction. This is a rich field worthy of further study that will help us better understand what makes a successful invasive species.

中文翻译：

---

认知能力能否为入侵物种提供成功的手段？证据审查

入侵物种是一个全球性的保护问题，具有巨大的经济成本。因此，了解入侵物种的属性以及它们在新环境中成功殖民和繁衍的原因对于预防和减轻它们的负面影响至关重要。学习能力和行为灵活性——在条件变化时灵活调整行为的能力，包括学习以新的方式解决新问题或现有问题，被认为在入侵过程中起着关键作用，尽管在入侵物种的研究中很少考虑认知能力. 我们首先回顾了灵活学习和解决问题可以影响无脊椎动物和脊椎动物入侵成功的证据。我们还将大脑大小作为与入侵成功相关的认知能力指标进行审查。然后，我们关注特定的认知属性，这些属性对于物种进入新环境时可能很重要，因为它们在学习资源（例如，食物、住所）的位置时，以及当它们遇到同种、异种和潜在的捕食者并与之互动时。我们认为，增强的空间学习能力与行为灵活性相结合可能具有适应性。此外，良好的记忆力和向他人学习的能力（同种和异种）都是有益的。最后，我们为研究认知、适应度和入侵成功之间的联系提出了未来的方向。研究密切相关的“入侵”和“非入侵”物种，以及入侵种群及其来源，应该提供关于认知能力在决定入侵成功中的潜在作用的重要基线信息。我们还提倡一种实验方法。特别是，我们借用了实验进化生态学的方法。我们建议在小岛上进行种群水平释放之前，可以对潜在入侵物种的行为和认知能力进行分析的实验研究将有助于我们了解认知能力在确定入侵物种适应性方面的潜在作用。认知能力可能决定入侵成功的想法现在才开始受到关注。这是一个值得进一步研究的丰富领域，它将帮助我们更好地了解是什么造就了成功的入侵物种。我们借鉴了实验进化生态学的方法。我们建议在小岛上进行种群水平释放之前，可以对潜在入侵物种的行为和认知能力进行检测的实验研究将有助于我们了解认知能力在确定入侵物种适应性方面的潜在作用。认知能力可能决定入侵成功的想法现在才开始受到关注。这是一个值得进一步研究的丰富领域，它将帮助我们更好地了解是什么造就了成功的入侵物种。我们借鉴了实验进化生态学的方法。我们建议在小岛上进行种群水平释放之前，可以对潜在入侵物种的行为和认知能力进行检测的实验研究将有助于我们了解认知能力在确定入侵物种适应性方面的潜在作用。认知能力可能决定入侵成功的想法现在才开始受到关注。这是一个值得进一步研究的丰富领域，它将帮助我们更好地了解是什么造就了成功的入侵物种。我们建议在小岛上进行种群水平释放之前，可以对潜在入侵物种的行为和认知能力进行检测的实验研究将有助于我们了解认知能力在确定入侵物种适应性方面的潜在作用。认知能力可能决定入侵成功的想法现在才开始受到关注。这是一个值得进一步研究的丰富领域，它将帮助我们更好地了解是什么造就了成功的入侵物种。我们建议在小岛上进行种群水平释放之前，可以对潜在入侵物种的行为和认知能力进行检测的实验研究将有助于我们了解认知能力在确定入侵物种适应性方面的潜在作用。认知能力可能决定入侵成功的想法现在才开始受到关注。这是一个值得进一步研究的丰富领域，它将帮助我们更好地了解是什么造就了成功的入侵物种。