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Human-mediated introductions of Australian acacias – a global experiment in biogeography.
Divers Distrib. 2011; 17:771-87
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31 Oct 2011
Review / Commentary
DOI: 10.3410/f.13357278.14726652
This is the leading article for a special issue of ‘Diversity and Distributions’ that focuses on the global movement of Australian acacia species and their invasiveness. The paper is important in establishing the case that acacias are a powerful model for testing some fundamental ideas in invasion e which...Continue reading
This is the leading article for a special issue of ‘Diversity and Distributions’ that focuses on the global movement of Australian acacia species and their invasiveness. The paper is important in establishing the case that acacias are a powerful model for testing some fundamental ideas in invasion ecology, which subsequent articles in the issue go on to do.
The paper argues that acacias are an excellent model group to examine the multiple drivers of species introductions. The authors present an overview of Australian acacia species and their invasiveness, as well as map the global invasion history of acacias onto the unified framework for biological invasions {1}. This paper also serves as an introduction to an interesting special issue, with highlights that include an analysis of the native ‘macroecological’ distribution of acacias in relation to their global invasiveness {2}. The latter article concludes that there is a (possibly human) bias in introductions for acacias with large ranges and high rates of population increase in their native range. The following articles within the journal then focus on predicting the invasiveness of acacias based on climatic envelopes, life history and human use {3}, as well as mechanistic niche modelling to project future distributions under climate change scenarios {4}. Another highlight is an article that uses a phylogenetically corrected dataset to explore the role of genome size and functional traits in invasiveness {5}. Overall, this special issue highlights the opportunity that acacias and other woody plants {6} provide us to address some general ecological questions about invasion ecology.
The paper argues that acacias are an excellent model group to examine the multiple drivers of species introductions. The authors present an overview of Australian acacia species and their invasiveness, as well as map the global invasion history of acacias onto the unified framework for biological invasions {1}. This paper also serves as an introduction to an interesting special issue, with highlights that include an analysis of the native ‘macroecological’ distribution of acacias in relation to their global invasiveness {2}. The latter article concludes that there is a (possibly human) bias in introductions for acacias with large ranges and high rates of population increase in their native range. The following articles within the journal then focus on predicting the invasiveness of acacias based on climatic envelopes, life history and human use {3}, as well as mechanistic niche modelling to project future distributions under climate change scenarios {4}. Another highlight is an article that uses a phylogenetically corrected dataset to explore the role of genome size and functional traits in invasiveness {5}. Overall, this special issue highlights the opportunity that acacias and other woody plants {6} provide us to address some general ecological questions about invasion ecology.
References
1.
A proposed unified framework for biological invasions.
Trends Ecol Evol (Amst) 2011 Jul; 7(26):333-9
PMID: 21601306
2.
Macroecology meets invasion ecology: linking the native distributions of Australian acacias to invasiveness.
Diversity and Distributions 2011 Sept; 17(5):872-83
DOI:10.1111/j.1472-4642.2011.00804.x
3.
Predicting invasiveness of Australian acacias on the basis of their native climatic affinities, life history traits and human use.
Diversity and Distributions 2011 Sept; 17(5):934-45
DOI:10.1111/j.1472-4642.2011.00778.x
4.
Modelling horses for novel climate courses: insights from projecting potential distributions of native and alien Australian acacias with correlative and mechanistic models.
Diversity and Distributions 2011 Sept; 17(5):978-1000
DOI:10.1111/j.1472-4642.2011.00811.x
5.
Invasiveness in introduced Australian acacias: the role of species traits and genome size.
Diversity and Distributions 2011 Sept; 17(5):884-97
DOI:10.1111/j.1472-4642.2011.00805.x
6.
Trees and shrubs as invasive alien species - a global review.
Diversity and Distributions 2011 Sept; 17(5):788-809
DOI:10.1111/j.1472-4642.2011.00782.x
Disclosures
Co-author Joseph T Miller works as a scientist at CSIRO, Plant Industry.
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Lonsdale M and Parry H: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Richardson DM et al., Divers Distrib 2011, 17:771-87]. In F1000Prime, 31 Oct 2011; DOI: 10.3410/f.13357278.14726652. F1000Prime.com/13357278#eval14726652
F1000Prime Recommendations, Dissents and Comments for [Richardson DM et al., Divers Distrib 2011, 17:771-87]. In F1000Prime, 26 May 2013; F1000Prime.com/13357278
