TY - JOUR
T1 - Widespread plant species: Natives versus aliens in our changing world
AU - Stohlgren, Thomas J.
AU - Pyšek, Petr
AU - Kartesz, John
AU - Nishino, Misako
AU - Pauchard, Aníbal
AU - Winter, Marten
AU - Pino, Joan
AU - Richardson, David M.
AU - Wilson, John R.U.
AU - Murray, Brad R.
AU - Phillips, Megan L.
AU - Ming-yang, Li
AU - Celesti-Grapow, Laura
AU - Font Castell, Xavier
PY - 2011/9/1
Y1 - 2011/9/1
N2 - Estimates of the level of invasion for a region are traditionally based on relative numbers of native and alien species. However, alien species differ dramatically in the size of their invasive ranges. Here we present the first study to quantify the level of invasion for several regions of the world in terms of the most widely distributed plant species (natives vs. aliens). Aliens accounted for 51.3% of the 120 most widely distributed plant species in North America, 43.3% in New South Wales (Australia), 34.2% in Chile, 29.7% in Argentina, and 22.5% in the Republic of South Africa. However, Europe had only 1% of alien species among the most widespread species of the flora. Across regions, alien species relative to native species were either as well-distributed (10 comparisons) or more widely distributed (5 comparisons). These striking patterns highlight the profound contribution that widespread invasive alien plants make to floristic dominance patterns across different regions. Many of the most widespread species are alien plants, and, in particular, Europe and Asia appear as major contributors to the homogenization of the floras in the Americas. We recommend that spatial extent of invasion should be explicitly incorporated in assessments of invasibility, globalization, and risk assessments. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
AB - Estimates of the level of invasion for a region are traditionally based on relative numbers of native and alien species. However, alien species differ dramatically in the size of their invasive ranges. Here we present the first study to quantify the level of invasion for several regions of the world in terms of the most widely distributed plant species (natives vs. aliens). Aliens accounted for 51.3% of the 120 most widely distributed plant species in North America, 43.3% in New South Wales (Australia), 34.2% in Chile, 29.7% in Argentina, and 22.5% in the Republic of South Africa. However, Europe had only 1% of alien species among the most widespread species of the flora. Across regions, alien species relative to native species were either as well-distributed (10 comparisons) or more widely distributed (5 comparisons). These striking patterns highlight the profound contribution that widespread invasive alien plants make to floristic dominance patterns across different regions. Many of the most widespread species are alien plants, and, in particular, Europe and Asia appear as major contributors to the homogenization of the floras in the Americas. We recommend that spatial extent of invasion should be explicitly incorporated in assessments of invasibility, globalization, and risk assessments. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
KW - Alien plants
KW - Biotic homogenization
KW - China
KW - Europe
KW - Globalization
KW - North America
KW - Plant invasions
KW - South Africa
KW - South America
KW - Species distributions
U2 - 10.1007/s10530-011-0024-9
DO - 10.1007/s10530-011-0024-9
M3 - Article
SN - 1387-3547
VL - 13
SP - 1931
EP - 1944
JO - Biological Invasions
JF - Biological Invasions
IS - 9
ER -