Due to the high costs often associated with the control and eradication of introduced weeds (alien plants), prevention is widely regarded as the most effective strategy in the management of biological invasions.

Risk assessment requires quantification of the likelihood and consequence of a specific hazard. To date, most risk assessment approaches focus on the species, not the ecosystem. However, formulation of both general and ecosystem-specific rules for the assessment of invasiveness of species and ecosystem invasibility are two of the most important goals in the strategic management of plant invasions.

In this research we examine the species and ecosystem attributes that influence the likelihood and consequence of weed invasion.

Ecosystem invasibility has often been viewed exclusively as a habitat attribute. However, it is becoming clear that biogeographic and socio-economic drivers play an increasingly important role in invasion risk.

The aim is to build, test and enhance current tools used in weed risk assessment.

Key publications relating to this research:

Baker, R.H.A., Black, R., Copp, G.H., Haysom, K.A., Hulme, P.E.,  Thomas, M.B., Brown, A., Brown, M., Cannon, R.J.C., Ellis, J.,  Ellis, E., Ferris, R., Glaves, P., Gozlan, R.E., Holt, H., Howe, L., Knight, J.D., MacLeod, A., Moore, N.P., Mumford, J.D., Murphy, S.T., Parrott, D., Sansford, C.E., Smith, G.C., St-Hilaire, S. & Ward, N.L. (2007). The UK risk assessment scheme for all non-native species. In: Rabitsch, W., F. Essl & F. Klingenstein (Eds.): Biological Invasions- from Ecology to Conservation. Neobiota 7: 46-57.

Dawson W, Mndolwa AS, Burslem DFRP & Hulme PE (2008) Assessing the risks of plant invasions arising from collections in tropical botanical gardens.  Biodiversity & Conservation, 17, 1979-1995.

Hulme, P.E., Brundu, G., Camarda, I., Dalias, P., Lambdon, P., Lloret, F., Medail, F., Moragues, E., Suehs, C., Traveset, A., Troumbis A. and Vilà M. (2008). Assessing the risks to Mediterranean islands ecosystems from alien plant introductions. In: Tokarska-Guzik, B., Brock, J.H., Brundu, G., Child, L., Daehler, C.C. & Pyšek, P. Plant Invasions: Human perception, ecological impacts and management, pp. 39-56. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, The Netherlands

Lambdon PW, Lloret F & Hulme PE (2008) Do alien plants on Mediterranean islands tend to invade different niches from native species?  Biological Invasions, 10, 703-716

Lambdon PW, Lloret F & Hulme PE (2008) How do introduction characteristics influence the invasion success of Mediterranean alien plants? Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution & Systematics, 10, 143-159

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