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.

Promotional Information

This book is an initiative of a subcommittee of SCOPE (Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment).

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