Biological invasions occur when species enter a new environment, become established, and impact native species populations, disturbing the balance of plant and animal communities (Emerton & Howard, 2008; Williamson & Fitter, 1996). The introduction of alien species has been identified worldwide as the second most important reason for biodiversity loss after habitat destruction; in oceanic islands, it is undisputedly the first (IUCN, 2011). Marine invasions are currently a widespread problem throughout the world’s oceans with significant impacts to the environment, the economy, and health (Campbell & Hewitt, 2013). The rate of biological invasions has increased during recent decades, mostly due to increasing global trade, transport, and tourism, which allow an accelerated spread of species by overcoming natural barriers, such as currents, land masses, and temperature gradients (Seebens et al., 2013; Hilliard, 2004). Climate change and extreme climate events can alter vital aspects of the environment through significant changes in temperature and precipitation, which allow invasive species to establish and spread more easily than if the system were stable and more resistant to invasion. El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events can often have devastating effects on the flora and fauna of an area by facilitating transport and/or invasion of non-native species. Algae and corals can die off, creating niches that the opportunistic invasive species can occupy faster than the recovering native species. The connectivity of oceanic currents combined with the lack of
control measures make it very easy for new invasions to occur.

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