Invasive Plant Ecology

Product Description

Invasive Plant Ecology
by Shibu Jose, Harminder Pal Singh, Daizy Rani Batish and Ravinder Kumar Kohli
CRC Press | January 2013 | ISBN-10: 143988126X | 302 pages | PDF | 13.5 mb

Invasion of non-native plant species, which has a significant impact on the earth’s ecosystems, has greatly increased in recent years due to expanding trade and transport among different countries. Understanding the ecological principles underlying the invasive process as well as the characteristics of the invasive plants is crucial for making good management decisions to address this problem. Invasive Plant Ecology includes chapters derived from presentations at conferences such as the World Congress of the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO), as well as contributions from invited renowned authors. The chapters include both original research and syntheses of current knowledge on specific topics.
Actions essential for coordinated approaches to curtail plant invasion include increasing awareness of the ecological impacts of alien plants and employing novel control strategies. This book provides a foundation in invasion ecology by examining ecological theories and case studies that explain plant invasions, their impacts, management strategies, and the ecological economics. The chapters describe ecological characteristics, mutualistic associations, microbial communities, and disturbance regimes that affect the spread of invasive plants. The book also covers spatial analysis and predictive modeling of invasive plants.
The final chapters offer guidelines for ecological management and restoration of invaded areas and describe the economics of the invasive plant issue. This collection contains case studies from around the world, giving readers a real view of the extent of the invasive species issue along with real-world strategies. With its focus on the ecological aspects of plant invasion, this book provides an important reference for students, scientists, professionals, and policy makers who are involved in the study and management of alien invasive plants and ecosystems.

About the Authors
Shibu Jose, Ph.D., an applied ecologist, is the H.E. Garrett Endowed Professor in the School of Natural Resources and director of the Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri. He is the editor-in-chief of Agroforestry Systems and associate editor of the International Journal of Ecology and the Journal of Forestry. Dr. Jose and his research team have conducted studies in the United States, Australia, Costa Rica, Belize, Bangladesh, Panama, and India. He has more than 150 publications, including 6 edited books and 3 special issues.
Harminder Pal Singh, Ph.D., an ecophysiologist, is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. His research findings have resulted in 75 research papers in refereed journals and 6 edited books.
Daizy R. Batish, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Botany at Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Batish and her research group have been involved in studying the biology and ecology of invasive weeds, ecophysiology of plant–plant interactions, and ecological weed management. Dr. Batish has published over 100 research papers in refereed journals, 6 books, and 40 research articles.
Ravinder Kumar Kohli, Ph.D., a certified senior ecologist of the Ecological Society of America and JC Bose National Fellow of the Government of India, is the senior-most professor and Dean University Instruction at Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. He is a fellow of all four national official Indian academies of science. Dr. Kohli’s research career of 32 years remains focused on the ecological implications of introduced alien trees and invasive alien plants in India. He has published approximately 260 research papers, including 12 books.

CONTENTS
Preface ………………………………………………………………………….. vii
Editors …………………………………………………………………………….ix
Contributors ……………………………………………………………………..xi
Chapter 1 Invasive plant ecology: The horse behind the cart? …………………………………..1
Chapter 2 What makes alien plants so successful? Exploration of the ecological basis …………….7
Chapter 3 Novel weapon hypothesis for the successful establishment of invasive plants in alien environments: A critical appraisal …………………….19
Chapter 4 Functional basis for geographical variation in growth among invasive plants ………………..29
Chapter 5 Aboveground–belowground interactions: Implication for invasiveness ……………….45
Chapter 6 From species coexistence to genotype coexistence: What can we learn from invasive plants? ……………….61
Chapter 7 Mycorrhizae and alien plants ……………………………………………………………………79
Chapter 8 Exotic plant response to forest disturbance in the western United States …………………..93
Chapter 9 Effects of silvicultural practices on invasive plant species abundance in the Missouri Ozark forests of the central United States ……………………113
Chapter 10 Invasive plants and mutualistic interactions between fleshy fruits and frugivorous animals……………………121
Chapter 11 Alien plant invasion and its ecological implications: An Indian perspective with particular reference to biodiversity-rich regions………..137
Chapter 12 Impact of invasive alien plant species on aboveground and belowground species diversity in the Kashmir Himalaya, India …………. 147
Chapter 13 Ecology and management of invasive plants in Africa …………………………. 161
Chapter 14 Geospatial tools for identifying and managing invasive plants ……………175
Chapter 15 Improving restoration to control plant invasions under climate change …………………203
Chapter 16 Converting invasive alien plant stands to natural forest nature’s way: Overview, theory, and practice ……………………..217
Chapter 17 Economics of invasive plant management ………………………………………………239
Chapter 18 An economic analysis of the invasive plant problem associated with the horticulture industry in North America …………………..259
Index …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..277