TodaythereisnoplaceonEarththatdoesnotharbourinvasiveexoticspecies.Invasiveplantsandanimalscanbefoundoneverycontinent,includingAntarctica,andwithinallwaterbodies,includingalloceans.Inourincreasinglyconnectedworld,withspeedycommercialandrecreationaltravelandtheglobalmovementofbiologicalmatterforfood,invasivespeciesareshowingupatsuchafastratethatthereisnowaytoaccuratelycounthowmanycurrentlyexistorhowmanyarelikelytoemergeinthecomingdecades.Monitoringthesespeciesandcontrollingtheirspreadisessential,asweincreasinglyunderstandthenegativeimpactstheypose:theirthreattoourhealth;thetolltheytakeonourcommercialproduction;andthethreattheyposetonativeecosystems.ThisVeryShortIntroductionprovidesacleardefinitionofaninvasivespecies,andconsidersthemyriadwaystheyaremovedaroundtheglobe,andtheecological,social,andeconomicimpactstheyoftenimpose.ExploringthewayEarth’sbiodiversityisbeingaffectedbyglobalchange,JulieLockwoodalsodiscussespolicyandmanagementapproachestocombatingtheill-effectsofinvasivespecies,andhowinvasivespeciesfitwithinthebroadercontextofenvironmentalchange.ABOUTTHESERIES:TheVeryShortIntroductionsseriesfromOxfordUniversityPresscontainshundredsoftitlesinalmosteverysubjectarea.Thesepocket-sizedbooksaretheperfectwaytogetaheadinanewsubjectquickly.Ourexpertauthorscombinefacts,analysis,perspective,newideas,andenthusiasmtomakeinterestingandchallengingtopicshighlyreadable.
