Human-Mediated Introductions of Australian Acacias
Diversity and Distributions, (Diversity Distrib.) (2011) 17, 771–787 S EDITORIAL Human-mediated introductions of PECIAL ISSUE Australian acacias – a global experiment in biogeography 1 2 1 3,4 David M. Richardson *, Jane Carruthers , Cang Hui , Fiona A. C. Impson , :H Joseph T. Miller5, Mark P. Robertson1,6, Mathieu Rouget7, Johannes J. Le Roux1 and John R. U. Wilson1,8 UMAN 1 Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of ABSTRACT - Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, MEDIATED INTRODUCTIONS OF Aim Australian acacias (1012 recognized species native to Australia, which were Matieland 7602, South Africa, 2Department of History, University of South Africa, PO Box previously grouped in Acacia subgenus Phyllodineae) have been moved extensively 392, Unisa 0003, South Africa, 3Department around the world by humans over the past 250 years. This has created the of Zoology, University of Cape Town, opportunity to explore how evolutionary, ecological, historical and sociological Rondebosch 7701, South Africa, 4Plant factors interact to affect the distribution, usage, invasiveness and perceptions of a Protection Research Institute, Private Bag globally important group of plants. This editorial provides the background for the X5017, Stellenbosch 7599, South Africa, 20 papers in this special issue of Diversity and Distributions that focusses on the 5Centre for Australian National Biodiversity global cross-disciplinary experiment of introduced Australian acacias. A Journal of Conservation Biogeography Research, CSIRO Plant Industry, GPO Box Location Australia and global. 1600, Canberra, ACT, Australia, 6Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Methods The papers of the special issue are discussed in the context of a unified Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa, framework for biological invasions.
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