Life Out of Bounds: Bioinvasion in a Borderless WorldW. W. Norton & Company, 1998 - 287 pages Worldwatch Institute researcher Chris Bright explains why conservation biologists are raising the alarm about a global threat to biodiversity that is unfolding largely unnoticed -- bioinvasion, the spread of alien, "exotic" organisms. With the exception of a few spectacular invasions, like the zebra mussel's conquest of the Great Lakes, there has been little public recognition of the dangers posed by these invading species. But exotic species are injuring our biological wealth on virtually every level -- from the genetic (when exotics interbreed with native species) to the wholesale transformation of landscapes. Life Out of Bounds shows that this "biological pollution" is now beginning to corrode the world's economies as well. But the policy responses, on both the national and international levels, have usually been weak and uncoordinated. This book outlines the current scientific research on the threat, the social and economic implications if these invasions are allowed to continue unchecked, and steps that can be taken to contain the spread of exotic species. |
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acclimatization Africa agriculture Alien Species animals Aquaculture Asia Asian Asian tiger mosquito Australia ballast water biocontrol Biodiversity bioinvasion Biological Invasions biotic birds brown tree snake Carlton Carrere and Lohmann century Chapter cichlids Conservation Biology creatures crops Development disease Diversity ecological Ecosystems Environment Environmental epidemic eucalypts Europe European example exotic plants Exotic Species extinction Fisheries flatworm genetic global grass growing habitat Hawaii hectares ibid Impact industry infestation insects International introductions invaders Invasive Species islands IUCN Lake Victoria lamprey landscape major mammals Management Marine Mediterranean melaleuca mosquito moth National native fish native forest natural Nonindigenous North America note 36 organisms Pacific pathogens percent pest pesticides plant species plantations population prairie predators region released salmon Sandlund Schei Scientist Sea Lamprey ship shrimp snails South spread tilapia Today trade tree tropical trout U.S. Department United Viken virus Washington water hyacinth weeds Wildlife World Worldwatch York Zealand zebra mussel