Climate change puts the invasive Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) on the move in the southern forestlands of the United States

Invasions of nonnative species have multiple implications, including modification of biogeochemical cycles, inhibition of natural regeneration of native species, and loss of ecosystem biodiversity and productivity. Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.) is a vigorous invader of the southern forestlands of the United States (U.S.). Our objectives were to document changes in the distribution of Japanese honeysuckle since the turn of the century, identify climatic variables correlated with its successful invasion, and project its potential future distribution under climate change. To accomplish this, we analyzed the most recent U.S. Forest Service field measurements of Japanese honeysuckle in the southern U.S. Our analysis indicated that the number of sampled plots invaded by Japanese honeysuckle from 2009 to 2017 increased by approximately 53