The rapid expansion of global trade and transportation networks has escalated biological invasions， posing critical threats to aquatic ecosystem integrity and incurring substantial economic costs. Compared to terrestrial invasions， research on aquatic invasions emerged more recently， with limited systematic analysis of their mechanisms and drivers. This review synthesizes advances from the past decade to outline key mechanisms-including competitive advantage， niche occupation， interspecific interactions， chemical invasion， and enemy release-underlying aquatic invasions. Critical drivers are examined， encompassing environmental shifts （e.g.， climate change， hydrological alterations， pollution） and anthropogenic disturbances. Future priorities emphasize mechanistic validation， predictive modeling frameworks， and integrated management strategies. This review enhances understanding of aquatic invasion dynamics and provides actionable insights for ecosystem resilience and evidence-based governance.