The book provides a comprehensive overview of current knowledge about ‘wattles’, a large clade of over 1000 species of trees and shrubs in the genus Acacia, most of which are native to Australia. It examines the biology, ecology, evolution, and biogeography of wattles in their native ranges, including the evolutionary forces that have driven past speciation and adaptation to diverse environments, the conservation status, uses and human perceptions of these species. It considers the different histories of the introductions and proliferation of wattles as alien species in different parts of the world since c. 1850 (the Anthropocene), situated within relevant political, socio-economic and scientific contexts, together with an analysis of how awareness of their impacts as invasive species has changed over time. Differences in the dynamics and trends associated with the introduction, naturalization and invasion of wattles in different parts of the world are reviewed. The book also synthesizes the global distribution of wattles using diverse data sources, alongside trends, patterns and projections of global uses of wattles. It discusses the genetics, biotic interactions, and ecological, economic and social impacts of invasive wattles.
– The first comprehensive global synthesis in book form of aspects of the biology, ecology, biogeography and management of one of the world’s most important woody plant genera.
– Provides the foundation for the assessment of evidence-based information required to formulate sustainable management strategies for non-native plants that have both benefits and negative impacts.
– Sheds new light on many aspects of plant invasion science.
This book is aimed at academics and students in the field of ecology, and at managers of natural and anthropic ecosystems, policy-makers and regulators, and the general public interested in biology and environmental science.
Circa l’autore
Brian van Wilgen is an Emeritus professor at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and he has 45 years of experience as an applied ecologist in southern Africa and beyond. His research has focussed on two fields – fire ecology, and invasion ecology. He has conducted work in southern and eastern Africa, and collaborated with others in Australia, Europe, North and South America, and on island ecosystems. He has served on numerous editorial boards, the most recent including the journals Conservation Biology, Fire Ecology, International Journal of Wildland Fire, and South African Journal of Science. He has received numerous awards, most recently the South African Academy of Science Gold Medal for excellence in the application of outstanding scientific thinking in the service of society. He is author of over 200 publications, including four books and 170 peer-reviewed scientific papers. He was the lead editor of a recent comprehensive book entitled Biological Invasions in South Africa, published by Springer in 2020.
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