Biological invasion happens when an organism, any sort of organism, arrives somewhere beyond its previous range. Nowadays, most invasions come from human actions, deliberate or accidental. But natural invasions happen too, from minor changes of range to major invasions across continents. One reason for studying invasions is that many invasive species have become serious pests. The cumulative losses in the USA from some non-indigenous species were estimated at almost $100 billion by 1991. It has to be noted that most invaders fail and have small effects, but that the cumulative effect of those that succeed has been and will continue to be large. Another important fact is that invasions have been an important component of the evolutionary process throughout geological history. Researchers are therefore not only interested in what makes a successful invader, but also in the ecological as well as the genetic impacts of invasions
Table of Contents
- Biological Invasions
- Examples of Invasions
- Natural Invasions
- Human-Induced Invasions
- The Tens Rule
- Propagule Pressure
- Previous Success in Other Invasions
- Intrinsic Rate of Natural Increase
- Reproductive and Genetic Characteristics
- Abundance and Range in Native Habitat
- Taxonomic Isolation
- Climatic Matching
- Vacant Niche
- Genes
Objectives and Key Themes
This text explores the phenomenon of biological invasions, examining both natural and human-induced invasions. It aims to understand the factors that contribute to successful invasions and the ecological and genetic impacts they have. The text delves into the historical context of invasions, explores the significance of propagule pressure, and examines various ecological and genetic characteristics associated with successful invaders.
- Factors Influencing Invasion Success
- Ecological and Genetic Impacts of Invasions
- The Role of Propagule Pressure
- The Significance of Habitat Suitability
- The Importance of Genetic Characteristics
Chapter Summaries
The text begins by defining biological invasions and highlighting their significance. It discusses the historical context of invasions, including both natural events and human actions. The text then delves into the concept of the Tens Rule, a statistical approach to predicting the probability of invasion success. The following chapters explore various factors influencing invasion success, including propagule pressure, previous invasion success, intrinsic rate of natural increase, reproductive and genetic characteristics, abundance and range in native habitat, taxonomic isolation, climatic matching, vacant niches, and the role of genes.
Keywords
Biological invasions, propagule pressure, invasion success, ecological impacts, genetic characteristics, habitat suitability, climatic matching, vacant niches, the Tens Rule, natural invasions, human-induced invasions.
- Quote paper
- BA (Oxon), Dip Psych (Open) Christine Langhoff (Author), 2002, Biological Invasions, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/4692
