Biological Invasions: Theory and Practice

Abstract

When a species colonizes an area that it has not previously inhabited, it is called an "invasion", and it can result in the extinction of endemic species. The increase in numbers of humans travelling the world presents opportunities for invasions by organisms and the spread of diseases such as rabies and smallpox. Using the large amount of data from studies in pest control and epidemiology, it is possible to construct mathematical models that can predict which species will become invaders, which habitats are susceptible to invasion, and the biological impact. This book presents a clear and accessible introduction to the modeling of biological invasions. It demonstrates the latest theories and models, and includes data and examples from various case studies showing how these models can be applied to problems from deadly human diseases to the spread of weeds. The present book is based on an earlier one published in Japan (in Japanese) by one of the authors (N.S.), entitled Mathematical modeling for biological invasions (University of Tokyo Press, 1992); this English edition, however, results from the collaboration between two authors. The original Japanese edition is aimed primarily at university undergraduate and graduate students, and its purpose is to introduce to them some of the pioneering works in biological invasion as well as some mathematical models developed by the authors. Necessarily, discussions on many relevant theories, field data, and their references were curtailed in favor of conciseness. For this English edition, we have included more field data, updated some theoretical results according to the latest findings, and rewritten much of the text with a wider audience, including field researchers and scholars, in mind.