Strangers in paradise: impact and management of nonindigenous species in Florida

Abstract

Invasive nonindigenous species - plants and animals that have been introduced to an ecosystem from someplace else - are wreaking havoc around the globe. Because they did not coevolve with species already in the ecosystem, they can profoundly disturb species interactions and ecosystem function. The state of Florida has one of the most severe exotic species problems in the country; many taxa in Florida are as much as one-quarter non-native, and millions of acres of land and water are dominated by nonindigenous species. Strangers in Paradise provides an in-depth examination of the Florida experience and of the ongoing efforts to eradicate or manage introduced species. Strangers in Paradise is the first comprehensive volume to address a large, diverse region and the full range of nonindigenous species, the problems they cause, and the methods and impediments to dealing with them. Throughout, contributors emphasize solutions and relate the situation in Florida to problems faced by other states, making the book an important guide for anyone involved with control and management of invasive species.