AbstractAimsInvasive exotic plants may generate deleterious indirect effects on native species, such as increasing consumer pressure on native plants (i.e. apparent competition). Although rarely examined, invasive shrubs may create novel pulses of consumer pressure because their leaves senesce later, providing temporal increases in cover. Apparent competition generated by invasive species may have a strong temporal signal due to extended phenologies of invasive plants. Using an experimental manipulation of the invasive shrub,Rhamnus cathartica, we evaluated whether seed predation of multiple species is higher in invaded areas, and if the novel extended phenology ofR. catharticaleads to temporal changes in seed predation.LocationUniversity of Wisconsin‐Madison Arboretum, Madison,WI,US.MethodsWe removedR. catharticafrom half of 16 invaded plots. Using three 17‐d sessions over two seasons, we quantified seed predation onR. catharticaand four native species:Acer rubrum, A. saccharum, Prunus serotinaandQuercus rubra. Studies included autumn sampling to evaluate whether extended phenology ofR. catharticaled to changes in seed predation. We quantified habitat characteristics and small mammal activity.ResultsRhamnus catharticaremoval led to decreased seed removal forA. rubrum,A. saccharumandR. cathartica, but magnitude depended upon season. ForR. catharticaandA. rubrum, autumn seed removal was higher inR. catharticainvaded areas, when these areas have substantial leaf cover. Predation ofA. saccharumseeds was highest in areas with intactR. catharticaduring the summer.R. catharticaremoval led to significantly increased light levels at the forest floor, increased leaf litter depth and lower total small mammal captures.ConclusionsPresence ofR. catharticaaltered seed removal of native and invasive species, and the unique phenology ofR. catharticaprovided cover that generated novel, previously undocumented temporal shifts in consumer pressure. Although our work illustrates how matureR. catharticacan increase seed removal, we conclude that apparent competition between seeds ofR. catharticaand native species is unlikely because higher seed removal caused byR. catharticawas seen forR. catharticaseeds. Our work highlights how predicting and ameliorating effects of invasive plants may require considering temporal dynamics that are currently poorly understood.