Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Foreword by Peter J. Grubb
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Part I Introduction
- Part II Seedling diversity
- Part III Seedling morphology, evolution, and physiology
- Part IV Life history implications
- Part V Applications
- Chapter 14 Does seedling ecology matter for biological invasions?
- Chapter 15 The role of seedlings in the dynamics of dryland ecosystems – their response to and involvement in dryland heterogeneity, degradation, and restoration
- Chapter 16 Anthropogenic disturbance in tropical forests: toward a functional understanding of seedling responses
- Chapter 17 Seedling establishment in restored ecosystems
- Part VI Synthesis
- References
- Index
Chapter 14 - Does seedling ecology matter for biological invasions?
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Foreword by Peter J. Grubb
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Part I Introduction
- Part II Seedling diversity
- Part III Seedling morphology, evolution, and physiology
- Part IV Life history implications
- Part V Applications
- Chapter 14 Does seedling ecology matter for biological invasions?
- Chapter 15 The role of seedlings in the dynamics of dryland ecosystems – their response to and involvement in dryland heterogeneity, degradation, and restoration
- Chapter 16 Anthropogenic disturbance in tropical forests: toward a functional understanding of seedling responses
- Chapter 17 Seedling establishment in restored ecosystems
- Part VI Synthesis
- References
- Index
Summary
Introduction
Biological invasions constitute an environmental problem of growing global concern. The explosive growth of exotic, invading species is second only to habitat loss as a factor threatening endangered plants and animals worldwide (Cronk & Fuller, 1995; Hobbs & Mooney, 1998). Because invasive species did not evolve within their current ecological contexts, they often process resources and energy differently than natives. Thus, successful invasions often result in changes to ecosystem dynamics and interspecific interactions. Invasive species have been shown to alter disturbance regimes (Cronk & Fuller, 1995; Hobbs & Huenneke, 1992) and resource cycling (Mooney & Drake, 1989). These changes result in reduced biological diversity (Baskin, 1998; D'Antonio & Vitousek, 1992; Sala et al., 2000; Meiners et al., 2001) and contribute to reductions in ecosystem function and productivity. Biological invasions are also estimated to incur costs of nearly $137 billion per year in the United States alone (Pimentel et al., 2000).
Because invasions lead to so many undesirable ecological and economic changes, predicting and preventing them have become research priorities. Ecologists have used historical data on existing invasions to ask which species are likely to adversely affect newly recipient ecosystems (e.g. Mack, 1996; Sutherland, 2004) and which communities are likely to be especially susceptible to alterations by such invasives (e.g. Elton, 1958; Drake et al., 1989).
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- Seedling Ecology and Evolution , pp. 295 - 306Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008
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