Pacific Northwest Invasive Plant Council

Management and Control

PNW IPC Conferences and Workshops

Web References

Book References

Invasive Plants: Ecological And Agricultural Aspects, By Inderjit, Published 2005, Birkhäuser
Invasive plants have an impact on global biodiversity and ecosystem function, and their management is a complex task. The aim of this book is to discuss fundamental questions of invasion ecology, such as why particular communities become more invasible than others, what the mechanisms of exclusion of native species by invaders are, and whether invasion can be predicted. In addition, agricultural practices influencing invasion, the environmental and economic costs of invasion as well as possible management strategies are discussed. Readers will get a unique perspective on invasion ecology through employing general principles of ecology to plant invasions.
Invasive Species: Vectors and Management Strategies, By Gregory M. Ruiz, James T. Carlton, Published 2003, Island Press
Recent years have seen a steep rise in invasions of non-native species in virtually all major ecoregions on Earth. Along with this rise has come a realization that a rigorous scientific understanding of why, how, when, and where species are transported is the necessary foundation for managing biological invasions.Invasive Species presents extensive information and new analyses on mechanisms of species transfer, or vectors, as the latest contribution from the Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP). Contributors assess invasion vectors and vector management in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems for major taxonomic groups in a variety of regions around the world. The book: examines invasion causes, routes, and vectors in space and time highlights current approaches and challenges to preventing new invasions, both from a geographic and taxonomic point of view explores strategies, benefits, and limitations of risk assessment offers a synthesis of many facets of vector science and management presents recommendations for action Chapter authors review fungi, plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates, with geographic assessments covering New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and the United States. Although the full extent and cumulative impact of nonnative species can only be approximated, biological invasions are clearly a potent force of global change, contributing to a wide range of deleterious effects including disease outbreaks, habitat alteration and loss, declines of native species, increased frequency of fires, and shifts in nutrient cycling. Vectors are the delivery mechanisms, resulting in recent increases in rates of new invasions. Invasive Species brings together in a single volume new information from leading scientists around the world on approaches to controlling and managing invasion vectors. This volume is a timely and essential reference for scientists, researchers, policymakers, and anyone concerned with understanding biological invasions and developing effective responses to them.
Assessment and Management of Plant Invasions, By James O. Luken, John, W. Thieret, Contributor J W Thieret, Published 1997, Springer
Biological invasion of native plant communities is a high-priority problem in the field of environmental management. Resource managers, biologists, and all those involved in plant communities must consider ecological interactions when assessing both the effects of plant invasion and the long-term effects of management. Sections of the book cover human perceptions of invading plants, assessment of ecological interactions, direct management, and regulation and advocacy. It also includes an appendix with descriptive data for many of the worst weeds.
Invasive Species in the Pacific Northwest, Edited by P. D. Boersma, S. H. Reichard, and A. N. Van Buren, Published 2006, University of Washington Press
The U.S. government defines invasive species as "an alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health." Invasive Species in the Pacific Northwest describes these species, how they got here, and the effects of their invasions on the region's environment. Each of 108 invasive species of fish, plants, invertebrates, mammals, and birds - including earthworms, domestic cats and pigs, blackberries, European fruit flies, Japanese eelgrass, Mediterranean mussels, rats, and terrestrial mollusks - is described in a 2-page spread that includes a full-color photograph of the species, a map showing the species' presence in the region, plus: - Impact on communities and native species, control methods and management, life histories and species overview, and history of invasiveness. Included are suggestions to help reduce the spread of invasive species; habitat preferences of Pacific Northwest invasive species; the World Conservation Union (ICUN) list of the world's 100 most invasive alien species; and a questionnaire designed to evaluate ecological impact and invasive potential. http://www.washington.edu/uwpress/search/books/BOEINV.html
Ecology and Control of Introduced Plants, By Judith H. Myers, Dawn Bazely, Published 2003, Cambridge University Press
This book focuses on introduced plant species: their origins and impacts on native vegetation and ecosystems as well as the potential for their control. Aimed at advanced students and land managers concerned with plant community conservation, it includes practical explanations, case studies and an introduction to basic techniques for evaluating the impacts of invasive plants.