In terms of invasion biology, vascular plants are the most intensively researched taxonomic group; at least 395 plant invaders have been addressed in detailed case studies globally, accounting for 44% of all invasive taxa studied; after North America, Europe is the continent enjoying the most intensive study with at least 80 invasive plant species having been addressed (Pyŝek et al. 2008). However, although there is a considerable body of information on major plant invaders in Europe (see also Weber 2003), the situation is much less satisfactory as far as complete national inventories of alien plants are concerned. Prior to the DAISIE project (www.europe-aliens.org), only few countries had a sound information on the composition of their alien floras, available in specialised checklists, notably Austria (Essl and Rabitsch 2002), the Czech Republic (Pyek et al. 2002), Germany (Klotz et al. 2002; Kühn and Klotz 2003), Ireland (Reynolds 2002) and the UK (Clement and Foster 1994; Preston et al. 2002, 2004). This situation directly translated into poor knowledge across the European continent. The only available continental analysis of plant invasion patterns in Europe (Weber 1997) was based on data from Flora Europaea (Tutin et al. 1964–1980), the only synthetic source of information on floras of particular countries, including alien species. This source is, however, nowadays outdated and contains numerous inaccuracies in data for individual countries (Pyŝek 2003). In general, information on the presence and distribution of alien plant species for most European countries was scattered in a variety of published and unpublished accounts and databases; this is the case in other continents too (Meyerson and Mooney 2007). On the plant side, DAISIE was thus a major challenge of collating and assessing existing data on the most numerous group of European aliens and concentrating this information in an authoritative continental inventory.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Binimelis R, Born W, Monterroso I, Rodriguez-Lapajos B (2007) Socio-economic impacts and assessment of biological invasions. In: Nentwig W (ed) Biological invasions. Ecological Studies 193, Springer, Berlin, pp 331–347
Bleeker W (2003) Hybridization andRorippa austriacainvasion in Germany. Mol Ecol 12:1831–1841
Chittka L, Schürkens S (2001) Succesful invasion of a floral market: an exotic plant has moved in on Europe's river banks by bribing pollinators. Nature 411:653
Chytrý M, Pyŝek P, Tichý L, Knollová I, Danihelka J (2005) Invasions by alien plants in the Czech Republic: a quantitative assessment across habitats. Preslia 77:339–354
Chytrý M, Jaroŝík V, Pyŝek P, Hájek O, Knollová I, Tichý L, Danihelka J (2008a) Separating habitat invasibility by alien plants from the actual level of invasion. Ecology 89:1541–1553
Chytrý M, Maskell L, Pino J, Pyŝek P, Vilá M, Font X, Smart S (2008b) Habitat invasions by alien plants: a quantitative comparison between Mediterranean, subcontinental and oceanic regions of Europe. J Appl Ecol 45:448–458
Clement EJ, Foster MC (1994) Alien plants of the British Isles. A provisional catalogue of vascular plants (excluding grasses). Botanical Society of the British Isles, London
Daehler CC (1998) The taxonomic distribution of invasive angiosperm plants: ecological insights and comparison to agricultural weeds. Biol Conserv 84:167–180
Davies CE, Moss D (2003) EUNIS habitat classification. European Topic Centre on Nature Protection and Biodiversity, Paris
Essl F, Rabitsch W (eds) (2002) Neobiota in Österreich. Umweltbundesamt, Wien
Grigulis K, Lavorel S, Davies ID, Dossantos A, Lloret F, Vilá M (2005) Landscape positive feedbacks between fire and expansion of a tussock grass in Mediterranean shrublands. Glob Change Biol 11:1042–1053
Hejda M, Pyŝek P (2006) What is the impact ofImpatiens glanduliferaon species diversity of invaded riparian vegetation? Biol Conserv 132:143–152
Hierro JL, Maron JL, Callaway RM (2005) A biogeographical approach to plant invasions: the importance of studying exotics in their introduced and native range. J Ecol 93:5–15
Hulme PE, Bremner ET (2006) Assessing the impact ofImpatiens glanduliferaon riparian habitats: partitioning diversity components following species removal. J Appl Ecol 43:43–50
Hulme PE, Bacher S, Kenis M, Klotz S, Kühn I, Minchin D, Nentwig W, Olenin S, Panov V, Pergl J, Pyŝek P, Roque A, Sol D, Solarz W, Vilá M (2008a) Grasping at the routes of biological invasions: a framework for integrating pathways into policy. J Appl Ecol 45:403–414
Hulme PE, Brundu G, Camarda I, Dalias P, Llambdon P, Lloret F, Medail F, Moragues E, Suehs C, Traveset A, Troumbis A, Vilá M (2008b) Assessing the risks of alien plant invasions on Mediterranean islands. In: Tokarska-Guzik B, Brundu G, Brock JH, Child LE, Pyŝek P, Daehler C (eds) Plant invasions? Human perception, ecological impacts and management. Backhuys, Leiden, pp 39–56
Klotz S, Kühn I, Durka W (eds) (2002) BIOLFLOR: Eine Datenbank mit biologisch-ökologischen Merkmalen zur Flora von Deutschland. Schriftenr Vegetationsk 38:1–334
Kowarik I (1995) Time lags in biological invasions with regard to the success and failure of alien species. In: Pyŝek P, Prach K, Rejmánek M, Wade M (eds) Plant invasions: general aspects and special problems. SPB Academic Publishers, Amsterdam, pp 15–38
Kühn I, Klotz S (2003) The alien flora of Germany: basics from a new German database. In: Child LE, Brock JH, Brundu G, Prach K, Pyŝek P, Wade PM, Williamson M (eds) Plant invasions: ecological threats and management solutions. Backhuys, Leiden, pp 89–100
Kühn I, May R, Brandl R, Klotz S (2003) Plant distribution patterns in Germany: will aliens match natives? Feddes Repert 114:559–573
Lambdon PW, Pyŝek P, Basnou C, Hejda M, Arianoutsou M, Essl F, Jaroŝík V, Pergl J, Winter M, Anastasiu P, Andriopoulos P, Bazos I, Brundu G, Celesti-Grapow L, Chassot P, Delipetrou P, Josefsson M, Kark S, Klotz S, Kokkoris Y, Kühn I, Marchante H, Perglová I, Pino J, Vilá M, Zikos A, Roy D, Hulme PE (2008) Alien flora of Europe: species diversity, temporal trends, geographical patterns and research needs. Preslia 80:101–149
Lavorel S, Canadell J, Rambal S, Terradas J (1998) Mediterranean terrestrial ecosystems: research priorities on global change effects. Global Ecol Biogeogr Lett 7:157–166
Levine JM, D’Antonio CM (2003) Forecasting biological invasions with increasing international trade. Conserv Biol 17:322–326
Lonsdale M (1999) Global patterns of plant invasions and the concept of invasibility. Ecology 80:1522–1536
Mabberley D (1997) The plant book. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Mack RN (2000) Cultivation fosters plant naturalization by reducing environmental stochasticity. Biol Invasions 2:111–122
May RM, Lawton JH, Stork NE (1995) Assessing extinction rates. In: Lawton H, May RM (eds) Extinction rates. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 1–24
McKinney ML (2004) Do exotics homogenize or differentiate communities? Roles of sampling and exotic species richness. Biol Invasions 6:495–504
Meyerson LA, Mooney HA (2007) Invasive alien species in an era of globalization. Front Ecol Environ 5:199–208
Petillon J, Ysnel F, Canard A, Lefeuvre JC (2005) Impact of an invasive plant (Elymus athericus) on the conservation value of tidal salt marshes in western France and implications for management: responses of spider populations. Biol Conserv 126:103–117
Piñol J, Terradas J, Lloret F (1998) Climate warming, wildfire hazard and wildfire occurrence in coastal eastern Spain. Climate Change 38:345–357
Preston CD, Pearman DA, Dines TD (2002) New atlas of the British and Irish flora. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Preston CD, Pearman DA, Hall AR (2004) Archaeophytes in Britain. Bot J Linn Soc 145:257–294
Pyŝek P (1998) Is there a taxonomic pattern to plant invasions? Oikos 82:282–294
Pyŝek P (2003) How reliable are data on alien species in Flora Europaea? Flora 198:499–507
Pyŝek P, Sádlo J, Mandák B (2002) Catalogue of alien plants of the Czech Republic. Preslia 74:97–186
Pyŝek P, Sádlo J, Mandák B, Jaroŝík V (2003) Czech alien flora and a historical pattern of its formation: what came first to Central Europe? Oecologia 135:122–130
Pyŝek P, Richardson DM, Rejmánek M, Webster G, Williamson M, Kirschner J (2004) Alien plants in checklists and floras: towards better communication between taxonomists and ecolo-gists. Taxon 53:131–143
Pyŝek P, Richardson DM, Jaroŝík V (2006) Who cites who in the invasion zoo: insights from an analysis of the most highly cited papers in invasion ecology. Preslia 78:437–468
Pyŝek P, Cock MJW, Nentwig W, Ravn HP (eds) (2007) Ecology and management of Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum). CAB International, Wallingford
Pyŝek P, Richardson DM, Pergl J, Jaroŝík V, Sixtová Z, Weber E (2008) Geographical and taxo-nomic biases in invasion ecology. Trends Ecol Evolut 23:237–244
Rejmánek M, Randall JM (2004) The total number of naturalized species can be a reliable predictor of alien species pests. Diversity Distrib 10:367–369
Reynolds SCP (2002) A catalogue of alien plants in Ireland. National Botanic Gardens Glasnevin Occasional Papers 14:1–414
Richardson DM, Pyŝek P (2006) Plant invasions: merging the concepts of species invasiveness and community invasibility. Progr Phys Geogr 30:409–431
Richardson DM, Pyŝek P, Rejmánek M, Barbour MG, Panetta FD, West CJ (2000) Naturalization and invasion of alien plants: concepts and definitions. Diversity Distrib 6:93–107
Sala O, Chapin Stuart F, Armesto J, Berlow E, Bloomfield J, Dirzo R, Huber-Sanwald E, Huenneke L, Jackson R, Kinzig A, Leemans R, Lodge D, Mooney H, Oesterheld M, Poff N, Sykes M, Walker B, Walker M, Wall D (2000) Global biodiversity scenarios for the year 2100. Science 287:1770–1774
Stevens PF (2001 onwards) Angiosperm phylogeny website. Version 7, May 2006, URL: [http:// www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/
Traveset A, Moragues E (2004) Effect ofCarpobrotusspp. on the pollination success of native plant species of the Balearic Islands. Biol Conserv 122:611–619
Tutin TG, Heywood VH, Burges NA, Moore DM, Valentine DH, Walters SM, Webb DA (eds) (1964–1980) Flora Europaea. Vols. 1–5. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Vilá M, Weber E, D'Antonio CM (2000) Conservation implications of invasion by plant hybridization. Biol Invasions 2:207–217
Vilá M, Lloret F, Ogheri E, Terradas J (2001) Positive fire-grass feedback in Mediterranean Basin woodlands. Forest Ecol Manage 147:3–14
Vilá M, Tessier M, Suehs CM, Brundu G, Carta L, Galanidis A, Lambdon P, Manca M, Mádail F, Moragues E, Traveset A, Troumbis AY, Hulme PE (2006) Local and regional assessment of the impacts of plant invaders on vegetation structure and soil properties of Mediterranean islands. J Biogeogr 33:853–861
Walther G-R, Gritti ES, Berger S, Hickler T, Tang Z, Sykes MT (2007) Palms tracking the climate change. Global Ecol Biogeogr 16:801–809
Weber E (2003) Invasive plant species of the world. A reference guide to environmental weeds. CABI International, Wallingford
Weber EF (1997) The alien flora of Europe: a taxonomic and biogeographic overview. J Veg Sci 8:565–572
Williamson M (1996) Biological invasions. Chapman & Hall, London
Wittenberg R (ed) (2006) An inventory of alien species and their threat to biodiversity and economy in Switzerland. Environmental Studies 29. Federal office for the Environment, Bern
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2009 Springer Science + Business Media B.V.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Pyšek, P., Lambdon, P.W., Arianoutsou, M., Kühn, I., Pino, J., Winter, M. (2009). Alien Vascular Plants of Europe. In: Handbook of Alien Species in Europe. Invading Nature - Springer Series in Invasion Ecology, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8280-1_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8280-1_4
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-8279-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-8280-1
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)