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Plant invasions in montane ecosystems

Plant invasions in montane ecosystems Write Back continuation, if not the increase, in population reduction of resident geese by US Department of Agriculture and US Fish and Wildlife Service officials. Resident – and now migratory – geese, as well as many other species of resident and migratory birds, continue to pose major threats to aircraft. Research on, and management of, these species must continue, to minimize the probability of bird collisions with aircraft in the future. Peter P Marra1*, Carla Dove2, and Richard Dolbeer3 1 Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC *(marrap@si.edu); 2Feather Identification Laboratory, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC; 3US Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, Sandusky, OH Greenberg R and Marra PP (Eds). 2005. Birds of two worlds: the ecology and evolution of temperate–tropical migration systems. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. Nichols TC, Zimpfer NL, Raftovich RV, and Castelli PM. 2004. Molt migration of New Jersey resident Canada geese. In: Moser TJ, Lien RD, VerCauteren KC, et al. (Eds). Proceedings of the 2003 International Canada Goose Symposium. Madison, WI: International Canada Goose Symposium. Sheaffer SE, Malecki RA, Swift BL, et al. 2007. Management implications of molt migration by the Atlantic flyway resident population of Canada geese, Branta canadensis. Can Field Nat 121: 313–20. doi:10.1890/09.WB.026 In response to Pauchard et al.’s review, Ain’t no mountain high enough: plant invasions reaching new elevations (Front Ecol Environ; doi:10.1890/080072; published online on 31 Oct 2008 via Frontiers e-View, at www.frontiersinecology.org), mountain ecosystems throughout the world are undoubtedly facing an alarming and accelerating risk of plant invasions. The authors have correctly concluded that a cost-effective opportunity to study and manage such invasions simultaneously is now available. At present, most alien biota in these fragile ecosystems remain confined to lower elevations, but will most likely ascend to higher elevations with increasing human disturbance and global climate change. Thus, it would be advisable to initiate a research and policy framework on plant invasions in mountains, similar to that organized under the Mountain Invasive Research Network (MIREN). However, MIREN currently has no representative sites within Africa and Asia. We believe that the results generated from networks like MIREN can substantially contribute to global policy formulation only when there is genuine worldwide representation. Given the huge ecological and economic stakes involved with invasions (Pimental et al. 2005), there is an urgent need to study plant invasions in the montane ecosystems of the developing world. Montane ecosystems in China and India, Asia’s two fastest globalizing economies, are facing a grave threat from bioinvasions (Khuroo et al. 2007; Lin et al. 2007). Recently in these countries, increasing human activities in montane landscapes (eg highway/railway construction, interlinking of rivers, tourism, and urbanization) have not only led to the destruction and degradation of natural ecosystems, but are also abetting the intentional and/or unintentional introduction, establishment, and spread of invasive alien species. With global warming, invasive species, which were previously restricted to the lower altitudes, are now ascending to the Himalayan highlands (Khuroo et al. 2007). With increasing international trade, China and India may also serve as potential recipients and donors of invasive alien species with their trading partners. Biological invasions do not recognize political borders. This is a global problem, and necessitates global research efforts and policy responses (Rashid et al. 2009). The perennial scarcity of scientific information in the developing world has been a major impediment when devising global environmental policy and management plans. Therefore, in the present globalized world, it will be highly cost effective to initiate invasion studies in montane ecosystems – in both the developed and developing world – at the same time. Anzar A Khuroo*, Zafar Reshi, Irfan Rashid, GH Dar, and Akhtar H Malik Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India * (anzarak@gmail.com) Khuroo AA, Rashid I, Reshi Z, et al. 2007. The alien flora of Kashmir Himalaya. Biol Invasions 9: 269–92. Lin W, Zhou G, Cheng X, and Xu R. 2007. Fast economic development accelerates biological invasions in China. PLoS ONE 2: 1208. Pimental D, Zuniga R, and Morrison D. 2005. Update on the environmental and economic costs associated with alien invasive species in the United States. Ecol Econ 52: 273–88. Rashid I, Sharma GP, Esler KJ, et al. 2009. A standardized response to biological invasions. Science 325: 146–47. doi:10.1890/09.WB.027 www.fr ontiersinecology.or g © The Ecological Society of America http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment Ecological Society of America

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References (4)

Publisher
Ecological Society of America
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 by the Ecological Society of America
Subject
Write Back
ISSN
1540-9295
eISSN
1540-9309
DOI
10.1890/09.WB.027
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Write Back continuation, if not the increase, in population reduction of resident geese by US Department of Agriculture and US Fish and Wildlife Service officials. Resident – and now migratory – geese, as well as many other species of resident and migratory birds, continue to pose major threats to aircraft. Research on, and management of, these species must continue, to minimize the probability of bird collisions with aircraft in the future. Peter P Marra1*, Carla Dove2, and Richard Dolbeer3 1 Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC *(marrap@si.edu); 2Feather Identification Laboratory, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC; 3US Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, Sandusky, OH Greenberg R and Marra PP (Eds). 2005. Birds of two worlds: the ecology and evolution of temperate–tropical migration systems. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. Nichols TC, Zimpfer NL, Raftovich RV, and Castelli PM. 2004. Molt migration of New Jersey resident Canada geese. In: Moser TJ, Lien RD, VerCauteren KC, et al. (Eds). Proceedings of the 2003 International Canada Goose Symposium. Madison, WI: International Canada Goose Symposium. Sheaffer SE, Malecki RA, Swift BL, et al. 2007. Management implications of molt migration by the Atlantic flyway resident population of Canada geese, Branta canadensis. Can Field Nat 121: 313–20. doi:10.1890/09.WB.026 In response to Pauchard et al.’s review, Ain’t no mountain high enough: plant invasions reaching new elevations (Front Ecol Environ; doi:10.1890/080072; published online on 31 Oct 2008 via Frontiers e-View, at www.frontiersinecology.org), mountain ecosystems throughout the world are undoubtedly facing an alarming and accelerating risk of plant invasions. The authors have correctly concluded that a cost-effective opportunity to study and manage such invasions simultaneously is now available. At present, most alien biota in these fragile ecosystems remain confined to lower elevations, but will most likely ascend to higher elevations with increasing human disturbance and global climate change. Thus, it would be advisable to initiate a research and policy framework on plant invasions in mountains, similar to that organized under the Mountain Invasive Research Network (MIREN). However, MIREN currently has no representative sites within Africa and Asia. We believe that the results generated from networks like MIREN can substantially contribute to global policy formulation only when there is genuine worldwide representation. Given the huge ecological and economic stakes involved with invasions (Pimental et al. 2005), there is an urgent need to study plant invasions in the montane ecosystems of the developing world. Montane ecosystems in China and India, Asia’s two fastest globalizing economies, are facing a grave threat from bioinvasions (Khuroo et al. 2007; Lin et al. 2007). Recently in these countries, increasing human activities in montane landscapes (eg highway/railway construction, interlinking of rivers, tourism, and urbanization) have not only led to the destruction and degradation of natural ecosystems, but are also abetting the intentional and/or unintentional introduction, establishment, and spread of invasive alien species. With global warming, invasive species, which were previously restricted to the lower altitudes, are now ascending to the Himalayan highlands (Khuroo et al. 2007). With increasing international trade, China and India may also serve as potential recipients and donors of invasive alien species with their trading partners. Biological invasions do not recognize political borders. This is a global problem, and necessitates global research efforts and policy responses (Rashid et al. 2009). The perennial scarcity of scientific information in the developing world has been a major impediment when devising global environmental policy and management plans. Therefore, in the present globalized world, it will be highly cost effective to initiate invasion studies in montane ecosystems – in both the developed and developing world – at the same time. Anzar A Khuroo*, Zafar Reshi, Irfan Rashid, GH Dar, and Akhtar H Malik Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India * (anzarak@gmail.com) Khuroo AA, Rashid I, Reshi Z, et al. 2007. The alien flora of Kashmir Himalaya. Biol Invasions 9: 269–92. Lin W, Zhou G, Cheng X, and Xu R. 2007. Fast economic development accelerates biological invasions in China. PLoS ONE 2: 1208. Pimental D, Zuniga R, and Morrison D. 2005. Update on the environmental and economic costs associated with alien invasive species in the United States. Ecol Econ 52: 273–88. Rashid I, Sharma GP, Esler KJ, et al. 2009. A standardized response to biological invasions. Science 325: 146–47. doi:10.1890/09.WB.027 www.fr ontiersinecology.or g © The Ecological Society of America

Journal

Frontiers in Ecology and the EnvironmentEcological Society of America

Published: Oct 1, 2009

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