Tropical forest corridors face interacting pressures from anthropogenic disturbance, invasive alien plants (IAPS), and diverse management regimes. The Barandabhar Corridor in Nepal’s Terai Arc Landscapes is critical linkage between Chitwan National Park (CNP) and the Mahabharat range, yet no integrated, regime comparative synthesis exists. We conducted a PRISMA guided systematic review protected forest, buffer zone community forest (BZCF), Community Forest (CF), and Collaborative Forest to compare disturbance, IAPS dynamics, and habitat quality (wildlife signs). Disturbance intensity followed a clear gradient: BZCF (highest, driven by fuelwood collection, grazing, and roadkill) > CF (Intermediate) > protected forest (lowest). High disturbance regimes harboured significantly greater cover of four dominant (IAPS) (Mikania micrantha, Chromolaena odorata, Lantana camara, Parthenium hysterophorus). Cfs with intermediate disturbance exhibited the highest tree species diversity, empirically supporting the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis (IDH) in Shorea robusta (Sal) forests. Wild ungulated signs (Chital, Sambar, Muntjac, wild pig) showed a strong negative association with IAPS cover. Endogenous (locally crafted) governance rules produced better ecological outcomes than exogenous state driven regimes, but elite capture and gender exclusion persist. Existing payment for ecosystem services (PES) mechanisms lack conditionality and scientific valuation. I conclude that management regimes is a primary drivers of ecological conditions; effective PES must be regime specific. An integrated, plot level, multi regime analysis linking ecological economic metrics is urgent needed.