Given the frequent movement of commercial plants outside their native location, the consistent and standard use of plant names for proper identification and communication has become increasingly important. This second edition of World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference is a key tool in the maintenance of standards for the basic science underlyin

Here, at last, is a lavishly illustrated manual for ready identification of 299 common and economically important weeds in the region south to Virginia, north to Maine and southern Canada, and west to Wisconsin. Based on vegetative rather than floral characteristics, this practical guide gives anyone who works with plants the ability to identify weeds before they flower. - A dichotomous key to all the species described in the book is designed to narrow the choices to a few possible species. Identification can then be confirmed by reading the descriptions of the species and comparing a specimen with the drawings and photographs.- A fold-out grass identification table provides diagnostic information for weedy grasses in an easy-to-use tabular key.- Specimens with unusual vegetative characteristics, such as thorns, square stems, whorled leaves, or milky sap, can be rapidly identified using the shortcut identification table. The first comprehensive weed identification manual available for the Northeast, this book will facilitate appropriate weed management strategy in any horticultural or agronomic cropping system and will also serve home gardeners and landscape managers, as well as pest management specialists and allergists.

This open access book describes the serious threat of invasive species to native ecosystems. Invasive species have caused and will continue to cause enormous ecological and economic damage with ever increasing world trade. This multi-disciplinary book, written by over 100 national experts, presents the latest research on a wide range of natural science and social science fields that explore the ecology, impacts, and practical tools for management of invasive species. It covers species of all taxonomic groups from insects and pathogens, to plants, vertebrates, and aquatic organisms that impact a diversity of habitats in forests, rangelands and grasslands of the United States. It is well-illustrated, provides summaries of the most important invasive species and issues impacting all regions of the country, and includes a comprehensive primary reference list for each topic. This scientific synthesis provides the cultural, economic, scientific and social context for addressing environmental challenges posed by invasive species and will be a valuable resource for scholars, policy makers, natural resource managers and practitioners.

Non-indigenous species (NIS) are common in the United States landscape. While some are beneficial, others are harmful and can cause significant economic, environmental, and health damage. This study, requested by the U.S. House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, examined State and Federal policies related to these harmful NIS. The report is presented in 10 chapters. Chapter 1 identifies the issues and options related to the topic and a summary of the findings from the individual chapters that follow. Chapters 2 "The Consequences of NIS" and 3 "The Changing Numbers, Causes, and Rates of Introductions" examine basic aspects of NIS, their effects, how many there are, and how they get here. Technologies to deal with harmful NIS, including decision-making methods and techniques for preventing and managing problem species, are covered in chapters 4 "The Application of Decisionmaking Methods" and 5 "Technologies for Preventing and Managing Problems." Chapters 6, "A Primer on Federal Policy," 7 "State and Local Approaches from a National Perspective," and 8 "Two Case Studies: Non-Indigenous Species in Hawaii and Florida" assess what various institutions at the Federal, State, and local levels do, or fail to do, about NIS. Chapters 9 and 10 place NIS in a broader context by examining their relationships to genetically engineered organisms, to international law to other prominent environmental issues, and to choices regarding the future of the nation's biological resources. Appendixes include: lists of boxes, figures, and tables in the document; list of authors, workshop participants, reviewers, and survey respondents for the study; and list of references by chapter. Additional sections contain an index to common and scientific names of species, and a general index. (MDH)

February issue includes Appendix entitled Directory of United States Government periodicals and subscription publications; September issue includes List of depository libraries; June and December issues include semiannual index