Plant Invaders: The Threat to Natural Ecosystems

Description

A practical guide to the protection and management of ecosystems against invasions by non-indigenous plant species. The authors seek to offer an accessible account of the subject and how to protect natural habitats. The majority of countries suffer from invasive plants and there are case studies from North America, Europe, Australia, South and South East Asia and the Pacific and Atlantic islands. There is also a list of invasive species, with their countries of origin and regions of introduction.

Quentin Cronk is a lecturer at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh and at the University of Edinburgh. Janice Fuller is a research associate at Harvard Forest, Harvard University.

"Cronk (Univ. of Edinburgh) and Fuller (Harvard Univ.) introduce information and case studies to address problems of invasive plants in natural ecosystems. Chapter 1 explains what invasive plants are and where plant invasions occur. Chapter 2 defines the process of plant invasions by dividing the process into six stages, and remaining sections of chapter 2 expand on the stages. Chapter 3 discusses how to plan a control program and the types of control and management currently practiced. The last two chapters focus on individual invasive species; chapter 5 provides fairly detailed information for 17 species, including species name, common name, description, category of invasiveness, origin, area where introduced, and control and management, along with illustrations for each organism. The final chapter provides limited information for some 209 species. Glossary; more than 450 references; some black-and-white photographs. This resource will be an excellent beginning for introducing awareness of invasive plants to the public. In addition, it will serve as an invaluable resource for those involved in the management of natural ecosystems. All levels." --- S. L. Timme, Pittsburg State University in CHOICE