Invasive Plant Species of the World: A Reference Guide to Environmental Weeds
by E Weber, Geobotanical Institute, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
Hardback
560 pages
Readership
Researchers involved in plant ecology, conservation, weed science and biogeography.
Key Features
• Reference guide to the major environmental invasive plant species of the world
• Information on the geographic distribution, taxonomy, ecology and impact of each species
• Updated literature, on 450 invasive plant species with more than 1400 references
• Easy readable format and list of synonyms
The problem of invasive species is increasingly being recognized around the world. Invasive alien species can cause severe disruption to both natural and managed ecosystems.
Main Description
This book provides a reference guide to 450 major invasive plant species that are harmful to natural areas. Each species has an entry providing information covering lifeform, synonyms and commercial use, geographic distribution, habitats invaded, description of morphology, ecology and control. Key references to each species are also provided.
Reviews
• "The book is likely to provide a good baseline from which databases could potentially develop and help researchers to identify invasive traits and ultimately preempt future possible problems before they occur."
Andrea Grundy, Quarterly Review of Biology, 79(3), 2004
• "The book is, by far, the most complete overview of invasive plant species globally and, even better, the information is amazingly well organized."
Petr Pysek, Diversity and Distributions, 10, 2004
• "The great merit and value of the book is in the uniform treatment of each of the species covered. In a one-page compact form, information is noted on the growth form, synonomy, commercial use, global distribution (both natural and introduced), the kinds of habitats invaded and the ecology and control methods for the species, as well as the primary references relevant to the plant. The information is compact but comprehensive, and thus, very useful. The literature covered is extensive and can lead the reader to more detailed information if needed."
HA Mooney, Stanford University, California, USA
• "This book provides a quick and useful reference guide. It is hoped that individuals and organizations involved in the distribution of plants will use it wisely as a source of information before introducing potentially invasive plants to new areas.
P J C Harris, Biological Agriculture & Horticulture, 22, 2005
• "The book would be invaluable for a garden developing policies on invasive plants within the garden and providing advice to local and regional organisations on the control and management of invasive plants. The book, by providing baseline information, could also help horticulturalists in botanic gardens identify invasive traits; a role for botanic gardens, which are often accused of being a source of invasive plants. This book would be an important reference work for any botanic garden library."
Botanic Garden Journal, 2(2), 2005
Main Contents
• Introduction
• Abbreviations and symbols
• Species accounts: from A to Z
• References
• List of synonyms
• Glossary
