Abstract
South Africa is a megadiverse country in terms of biodiversity, with continental South Africa composed of nine terrestrial biomes. This diversity is in part due to the wide range of climatic and topographic conditions that exist in the country. This chapter explores how these environmental features influence biological invasions (focusing on terrestrial ecosystems). We first discuss broad features of the different landscapes, and then discuss how different environmental factors [geomorphology, soils, climate (including rainfall seasonality), extreme events (specifically droughts and floods), fire, freshwater, and land use] determine which species can establish, spread, and cause adverse impacts. The high diversity of invasive species in South Africa is partly due to the variety of environmental conditions, but some conditions (e.g. fire and aridity) also limit invasions. With reference to plants, invasive species assemblages seem to be co-incident with native species assemblages at a broad-scale (although the driving mechanisms are unclear). However, finer-scale influences of anthropogenic factors (e.g. introduction effort and disturbance) also play important roles in shaping invasive biotas. Together these factors suggest that climate-based species distribution models (with an additional fire filter) can accurately predict the broad-scale potential range of invaders in South Africa. However, at finer scales and for management purposes, we need to understand how humans directly and indirectly influence patterns of invasion.
Highlights
Chapter 13The Role of Environmental Factors in Promoting and Limiting Biological Invasions in South Africa
The high diversity of invasive species in South Africa is partly due to the variety of environmental conditions, but some conditions limit invasions
The interaction between climate change and invasions is complex, but there are likely to be a few general trends: more of South Africa will become suitable for tropical species; temperate invaders will increasingly be pushed out; and invasive species will reduce the opportunities for native species to shift in range
Summary
The Role of Environmental Factors in Promoting and Limiting Biological Invasions in South Africa.
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