Biogeography of Mediterranean Invasions

The Mediterranean basin California Chile the western Cape of South Africa and southern Australia share a Mediterranean climate characterized by cool wet winters and hot dry summers. These five regions have differing patterns of human settlement but similarities in natural vegetation and some faunal assemblages. These likenesses are enhanced with time by an increasing level of biotic exchange among the regions. An initiative of a subcommittee of SCOPE (Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment) which realized that the integrity of many natural ecosystems is being threatened by the ingress of invasive species this book uniquely documents the introduced floras and faunas especially plants buds and mammals in these five regions of Mediterranean climate and aims to increase our understanding of the ecology of biological invasions. In doing so it points a way to more effectively manage the biota of these regions.