Global Plant Invasions

Invasive species have significant economic and environmental impacts, but political borders provide only weak barriers to their spread. This book provides a global perspective on plant invasions, covering continents, islands, and mountains, with an overview of invasion biology and recent advances. It highlights the impact of invasive plants on biotic and economic systems and offers solutions to manage them, including new technologies and comprehensive strategies for public education and implementation. The future of invasive plant management is uncertain, depending on current trends and climate change predictions.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 381 pages
Publication date: 20 April 2023
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Invasive species have sparked widespread concern for various reasons, including their economic and environmental impacts in specific jurisdictions within particular countries. However, it is evident that certain invasive plant species pose significant global threats, as they have successfully invaded numerous countries and emerged as significant concerns on a worldwide scale. Given the magnitude of this threat, a significant number of books on invasive plants and invasive species in general have been published in recent years. However, none of these books explicitly provides comprehensive coverage of the issue on a global scale, perhaps because the full geographical, economic, and environmental implications of widespread spread and adaptive nature of these particular invasive plants have only recently been recognized.

To address this gap, we aim to make this volume unique by profiling plant invasions in explicitly geographical contexts. We will cover plant invasions on the world continents (Chapters 5-11), islands (Chapter 12), and mountains (Chapter 13). This global approach is supported by an overview of invasion biology and recent advances (Chapter 1), as well as how different communities differ in their invasibility (Chapter 2). Global factors influencing invasion will be introduced in Chapter 3 (globalized trade) and Chapter 4 (climate change). Key species will be profiled through geographic treatments, continent by continent (Chapters 5-11), and for islands (Chapter 12) and mountains (Chapter 13).

In Chapter 14, we will highlight the impact of invasive plants, both in biotic and economic terms, to counter the tendency for the young field of invasion biology to rely too heavily on anecdotal evidence. This chapter is also designed to convey the seriousness of these problems and the need for comprehensive solutions, which will be explored in the subsequent chapters.

The book concludes with three chapters that shed light on various aspects of the issue. These chapters will provide insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with managing invasive species, as well as the potential for innovative solutions and collaborations to address this global problem.

In conclusion, invasive species have posed significant threats to our environment, economy, and society. By taking a global approach and highlighting the impact of invasive plants in explicitly geographical contexts, we hope to contribute to the understanding and management of these species. This volume aims to provide valuable insights and solutions for addressing the challenges posed by invasive plants on a worldwide scale.

Weight: 751g
Dimension: 254 x 178 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030896867
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022