Multiscale Mechanisms Underlying the Invasion Success of Pomacea canaliculata: A Review

Pomacea canaliculata, listed among the world’s 100 worst invasive alien species, poses serious threats to rice production and freshwater ecosystems. This review synthesizes current research in physiological ecology, molecular genetics, and invasion ecology to examine its invasion success from a multiscale mechanistic perspective. P. canaliculata exhibits broad environmental adaptability at physiological, molecular, and behavioral levels. These adaptations include seasonal cold tolerance, drought-induced dormancy and post-dormancy recovery, acclimation to both freshwater and brackish environments, and tolerance to a range of pollutants and pesticides, including evidence of toxicant-induced hormesis. The species also shows pronounced phenotypic plasticity in growth, reproduction, and resource utilization. Genomic plasticity, multiple introduction events, and introgressive hybridization with closely related species further enhance its evolutionary potential and dispersal capacity. In addition, P. canaliculata displays behavioral adaptations such as learning and alarm responses. The synergistic interaction of these multilayered adaptive mechanisms underpins the global invasion success of this species. This review also identifies key uncertainties in current research and emphasizes the need for greater integration of multi-omics approaches, long-term monitoring of population dynamics in hybrid zones, and experimental studies addressing the interactive effects of multiple stressors, with the ultimate aim of improving invasion risk prediction and management.