Vertebrate invasive species are important ecologically, socially, and scientifically throughout much of the globe. However, the interdiction and options for management of invasive species are driven by localized regulation at the country or even state level and thus the management of species must be framed within that context. This book is focused around the management of invasive vertebrate species in the United States, although readers will find much of the material broadly applicable to invasive species in other regions. Vertebrate invasive species cause damage to agriculture, property, natural resources, and threaten human health and safety. However, most of these species occur in the United States resulting from human-mediated activities, often being released intentionally. For the first time, the wealth of scientific information about vertebrate invasive species in the United States is summarized and synthesized in a single volume to be easily accessible to ecologists and natural resource managers. With a focus on prominent terrestrial invasive species that have a history of policy and management and highlighting contemporary issues and management, this book consists of 18 chapters written by experts from across the United States. The first section of the book focuses on overarching policy and management topics associated with vertebrate invasive species; including biosecurity threats and risk assessment, policy and regulation, and the economics of their management. The second section provides in-depth reviews of noteworthy invasive mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. After finishing this book, the reader should understand the complexity of managing invasive species, the unique challenges that each new species may present, and the steps forward that may decrease the impact of these species on the environment, human health, and the economy.

Invasions of non-native plants into forests of the Southern United States continue to go unchecked and only partially un-monitored. These infestations increasingly erode forest productivity, hindering forest use and management activities, and degrading diversity and wildlife habitat. Often called non-native, exotic, non-indigenous, alien, or noxious weeds, they occur as trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, ferns, and forbs. This guide provides information on accurate identification of the 56 non-native plants and groups that are currently invading the forests of the 13 Southern States. In additin, it lists other non-native plants of growing concern. Illustrations. This is a print on demand edition of an important, hard-to-find publication.

This accessibly written and authoritative guide updates the beloved and much-used 1970s classic Seacoast Plants of the Carolinas. In this completely reimagined book, Paul E. Hosier provides a rich, new reference guide to plant life in the coastal zone of the Carolinas for nature lovers, gardeners, landscapers, students, and community leaders. Features include: * Detailed profiles of more than 200 plants, with color photographs and information about identification, value to wildlife, relationship to natural communities, propagation, and landscape use. * Background on coastal plant communities, including the effects of invasive species and the benefits of using native plants in landscaping. * A section on the effects of climate change on the coast and its plants. * A list of natural areas and preserves open to visitors interested in observing native plants in the coastal Carolinas. * A glossary that includes plant names and scientific terms. With a special emphasis on the benefits of conserving and landscaping with native plants, this guide belongs on the shelf of every resident and visitor to the coasts of the Carolinas.

Seaweeds around the World: State of Art and Perspectives, Volume 95, includes discussions on current research conducted in the field of algae. Specific chapters cover Isotopic Labeling of Cultured Macroalgae and Isolation of 13C-labeled Cell Wall Polysaccharides for Trophic Investigations, Selected Red Seaweeds from the Philippines with Emerging High-Value Applications, Challenges to the Future Domestication of Seaweed Cultivated Species: Understanding Individual Needs and Physiological Processes for Large-Scale Production, The Importance of Mucilage in Dispersion and Efficiency of Fertilization of Male Gametes, The Application of Seaweeds in Environmental Biotechnology, Indonesian Sargassum Species Prospecting: Potential Applications of Bioactive Compounds, and much more.

Throughout North America, non-native wild pigs have become an ecologically and economically destructive invasive species. Though they are regarded as a popular game species by some, provide economic benefits to others, and are even engrained into societal heritage in some areas, wild pigs are responsible for an extraordinary amount of damage in both natural and anthropogenic systems throughout North America. As the density and range of wild pig habitat have substantially increased over the last several decades, the magnitude and diversity of their negative impacts are not yet fully realized or quantified. With various conflicts continually emerging, wild pig management is difficult and expensive to achieve. As a result, wild pigs represent one of the greatest wildlife management challenges North America faces in the 21st century. Invasive Wild Pigs in North America: Ecology, Impacts, and Management addresses all aspects of wild pig biology, ecology, damage, and management in a single comprehensive volume. It assimilates and organizes information on the most destructive introduced vertebrate species in the United States, establishing a foundation from which managers, researchers, policy makers, and other stakeholders can build upon into the future. The book provides comprehensive coverage of wild pig biology and ecology, techniques for management and research, and regional chapters. It is an asset to readers interested in wild pigs, the resources they impact, and how to mitigate those impacts, and establishes a vision of the future of wild pigs in North America. Features: Compiles valuable knowledge for a broad audience including wild pig managers, researchers, adversaries, and enthusiasts from across North America Addresses taxonomy, morphology, genetics, physiology, spatial ecology, population dynamics, diseases and parasites, and the naturalized niche of wild pigs Includes chapters on damage to resources, management, research methods, human dimensions and education, and policy and legislation Contains full color images and case studies of interesting and informative situations being created by wild pigs throughout North America Includes a chapter on wild pigs at the wildland–urban interface, a more recent and especially challenging issue

A comprehensive and indispensable reference for identifying and appreciating native flora From its summits to its shores, South Carolina brims with life and unparalleled beauty thanks to its abundant array of native and naturalized flora, all carefully documented in this revised and expanded edition of A Guide to the Wildflowers of South Carolina. Dramatic advances in plant taxonomy and ecology have occurred since the guide's publication 20 years ago; new species have been discovered while others struggle to survive in the face of vanishing habitats and climate change. The authors, all experienced botanists, offer essays on carnivorous plants, native orchids, Carolina bays, the roles and effects of fire and agriculture on the landscape, and detailed descriptions of the plant communities throughout the state's major natural regions. This expanded edition catalogs nearly 1,000 species organized by habitat, with descriptions, color photographs, range maps, and comments on pharmacological uses, suitability for garden cultivation, origin of common and scientific names, and conservation status.

Modelling Invasive Alien Plant Species: Fuzzy Based Uncertainty presents the application of different fuzzy set theory techniques in developing risk assessment models for invasive plant species- those whose introduction and spread outside their natural range threatens local biodiversity. Invasion risk of species is expressed by biological traits which would be considered as the risk factors accompanied with uncertainty and imprecision. The book considers both quantitative and qualitative inputs in modelling the invasive risk by incorporating different mathematical models based on fuzzy set theory operators, interval methods, and fuzzy linguistic operators. The proposed models can be applied for investigating risk of invasive alien plant species in various regions and conditions. Features: Uniquely merges mathematical models with biological expressions. Presents different factor-based models as a case study on the risk of invasive alien plant species. Explains how users can perform primary-level risk assessment through fuzzy modeling techniques. Appropriate for upper-level students, researchers, and practicing professionals, this book shows how conventional approaches such as probability theory can be of limited use to solve issues of uncertainty, and how they fuzzy set theory plays a better role in understanding uncertain system dynamics, such invasive plant modelling.

The first book to demonstrate how plants originally considered harmful to the environment actually restore Earth’s ecosystems and possess powerful healing properties • Explains how invasive plants enhance biodiversity, purify ecosystems, and revitalize the land • Provides a detailed look at the healing properties of 25 of the most common invasive plants Most of the invasive plant species under attack for disruption of local ecosystems in the United States are from Asia, where they play an important role in traditional healing. In opposition to the loud chorus of those clamoring for the eradication of all these plants that, to the casual observer, appear to be a threat to native flora, Timothy Scott shows how these opportunistic plants are restoring health to Earth’s ecosystems. Far less a threat to the environment than the cocktails of toxic pesticides used to control them, these invasive plants perform an essential ecological function that serves to heal both the land on which they grow and the human beings who live upon it. These plants remove toxic residues in the soil, providing detoxification properties that can help heal individuals. Invasive Plant Medicine demonstrates how these “invasives” restore natural balance and biodiversity to the environment and examines the powerful healing properties offered by 25 of the most common invasive plants growing in North America and Europe. Each plant examined includes a detailed description of its physiological actions and uses in traditional healing practices; tips on harvesting, preparation, and dosage; contraindications; and any possible side effects. This is the first book to explore invasive plants not only for their profound medical benefits but also with a deep ecological perspective that reveals how plant intelligence allows them to flourish wherever they grow.