Biological invasions alter the probability of extinction, risk factors for extinction, and resulting spatial patterns of the endemic population. Biological invasions are becoming increasingly common with the accelerating impact of climate change, habitat fragmentation, and species introductions. Understanding the factors contributing to species displacement and extinction risk via invasion is therefore of central importance. Theoretical work has predicted that endemic populations can ward off invasive-driven extinction via evolutionary rescue.  However, this theory has not been tested. In this study, we use experimental evolution in spatially-distributed metapopulations of lab yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to determine how spatial population structure, dispersal rate, selection intensity, and mode of competitive displacement influence the probability of extinction of an endemic population undergoing invasion by a superior competitor.

Additional author(s): David Van Dyken