Researchers studied 1,561 forest plots across 10 tropical countries; non-native trees formed 28% of stems in young moist forests, but declined as the canopy returned

• Representative imageA new study which was done across tropical countries suggests that non-native trees can become surprisingly common in young regenerating forests, especially where the canopy is still open.
• But as the forest matures and the canopy closes, their share tends to decline.
• The study was published in Nature's July 2026 journal.