Funding Source: National Science Foundation – Division of Environmental Biology 1655541 – This project examines how multiple environmental factors collectively affect populations of an aggressive invasive plant species, Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard), across a range of conditions. A key focus is on constructing empirically-parameterized population models in order to quantitatively link processes at different ecological scales. As species do not exist in isolation, the project will also investigate the intersection of competition between plant species and their surrounding habitat; specifically, how does the environment influence the outcome of species competition, and what are the implications for coexistence or exclusion? Overall, this work aims to explicitly test and advance invasion biology theory, improve ecological forecasting, and inform the management of invasive species.