Biogeography of Mediterranean Invasions

by R. H. Groves, F. Di Castri

Overview

The Mediterranean basin, California, Chile, the western Cape of South Africa, and southern Australia share a Mediterranean climate characterized by cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. These five regions have differing patterns of human settlement, but similarities in natural vegetation and some faunal assemblages. These likenesses are enhanced with time by an increasing level of biotic exchange among the regions. An initiative of a subcommittee of SCOPE (Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment), which realized that the integrity of many natural ecosystems is being threatened by the ingress of invasive species, this book uniquely documents the introduced floras and faunas, especially plants, buds, and mammals, in these five regions of Mediterranean climate, and aims to increase our understanding of the ecology of biological invasions. In doing so, it points a way to more effectively manage the biota of these regions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521063906
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	06/05/2008
Pages:	504
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 1.14(d)

Table of Contents

Preface; Part I. Introduction: 1. An ecological overview of the five regions with a mediterranean climate F. di Castri; Part II. Historical Background: 2. The palaeohistory of the Mediterranean biota Z. Naveh and J.-L. Vernet; 3. Human impact on the biota of mediterranean-climate regions of Chile and California H. Aschmann; 4. Central Chile: how do introduced plants and animals fit into the landscape? E. R. Fuentes; 5. Historical background of invasions in the mediterranean region of southern Africa H. J. Deacon; 6. A short history of biological invasions of Australia R. H. Groves; Part III. Biogeography of Taxa: IIIa. Higher Plants: 7. Invasive plants of the Mediterranean Basin E. Le Floc'h; 8. Invasive vascular plants of California M. Rejmanek, C. D. Thomsen and I. D. Peters; 9. Introduction of plants into the mediterranean-type climate area of Chile G. Montenegro, S. Teillier, P. Arce and V. Poblete; 10. Introduced plants of the fynbos biome of South Africa M. J. Wells; 11. Invasive plants of southern Australia P. M. Kloot; 12. Life cycles of some Mediterranean invasive plants I. Olivieri, P.-H. Gouyon and J.-M. Prosperi; 13. Invasion processes as related to succession and disturbance J. Lepart and M. Debussche; 14. Is fire an agent favouring plant invasions? L. Trabaud; 15. Plant invasion and soil seed banks: control by water and nutrients R. L. Specht and H. T. Clifford; 16. Invasion by annual brome grasses: a case study challenging the homoclime approach to invasions J. Roy, M. L. Navas and L. Sonié; IIIb. Mammals: 17. Patterns of Pleistocene turnover, current distribution and speciation among Mediterranean mammals G. Cheylan; 18. Introduced mammals in California W. Z. Lidicker Jr; 19. Ecology of a successful invader: the European rabbit in central Chile F. M. Jaksic and E. R. Fuentes; 20. Mammals introduced to the mediterranean region of South Africa R. C. Bigalke and D. Pepler; 21. Mammals introduced to southern Australia T. D. Redhead, G. R. Singleton, K. Myers and B. J. Coman; IIIc. Birds: 22. Invasions and range modifications of birds in the Mediterranean Basin J. Blondel; 23. Invasions in the mediterranean avifaunas of California and Chile F. Vuilleumier; 24. Birds introduced to the fynbos biome of South Africa R. K. Brooke and W. R. Siegfried; 25. Species of introduced birds in mediterranean Australia J. L. Long and P. R. Mawson; Part IV. Applied Aspects of Mediterranean Invasions: 26. Weed invasion in agricultural areas J. L. Guillerm; 27. Plant invasions in the rangelands of the isoclimatic mediterranean zone H. N. Le Houérou; 28. Forest plantations and invasions in the mediterranean zones of Australia and South Africa L. D. Pryor; 29. The importation of mediterranean-adapted dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from the northern hemisphere to other parts of the world A. A. Kirk and J.-P. Lumaret; Part V. Overview: 30. The biogeography of mediterranean plant invasions R. H. Groves; 31. The biogeography of mediterranean animal invasions F. di Castri; Index of scientific names; Subject index.

Editorial Reviews

"...a useful reference for its compiled liss of plant, mammal, and bird species hat have invaded the different Mediterranean regions....should be of interest to anyone intrigued by or working with alien species in a Mediterranean region, or as a reference for analyses of trends in biological invasions among geographic regions." Curtis C. Daehler and Donald R. Strong, Plant Science Bulletin

"...will certainly provide intriguing reading for anyone who is interested in rapidly unfolding biological phenomena." Richard N. Mack, Science

"This important volume should be of wide interest, not only to Mediterranean ecologists and students of biological invasions, but also to anyone whose research involves the structure, function, and stability of ecological communities." Philip W. Rundel, Ecology

"Collectively, the chapters in this book offer an excellent comprehensive overview of invasions in the five mediterranean regions by vascular plants, birds, and mammals....an excellent summary of material on a regionalized and identifiable, albeit geographically widespread ecosystem....will serve as an essential reference for libraries and should be in the possession of anyone who deals with the ecology of invasions or the flora and fauna of any of the meditterranean regions." J. Whitfield Gibbons, Environmental Management

From the Publisher