1.5 Conclusions
South Africa is a highly diverse country. This has created opportunities for invasions, but also increases the onus on us to try to manage the impacts that they cause.
The problem of invasions seems daunting, but in tracking what we know now we can
chart a course to a future we desire. The science and practice of biological invasions
has come a long way over the past two centuries in South Africa, but much remains
to be done. Control operations are struggling to keep pace with the increasing
number and extent of invasive species, and conflicts of interest or differences in
perceptions complicate management. We hope this book will provide the foundation
for improved management of biological invasions in the future.
Acknowledgements We acknowledge 15 years of funding from the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology (CÁIÁB) that has supported a wealth of research on biological invasions in
South Africa. Additional support was received from the Natural Resources Management
Programme of the South African Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF),
through a collaborative research project on “Integrated Management of invasive alien species in
South Africa” and through DEFF’s funding of the South African National Biodiversity Institute
(noting that this publication does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of DEFF or its
employees).
References
Abrahams B, Sitas N, Esler KJ (2019) Exploring the dynamics of research collaborations by
mapping social networks in invasion science. J Environ Manag 229:27–37. https://doi.org/10.
1016/j.jenvman.2018.06.051
Anonymous (1959) The green cancers in South Africa: the threat of alien vegetation to our own
South African veld and forest. Citadel, Cape Town
Baker A (2019) South Africa’s dividing line. Time 193(18):34–41
Bester MN, Bloomer JP, van Aarde RJ et al (2002) A review of the successful eradication of feral
cats from sub-Antarctic Marion Island, Southern Indian Ocean. S Afr J Wildl Res 32:65–73
Blackburn TM, Pyšek P, Bacher S et al (2011) A proposed unified framework for biological
invasions. Trends Ecol Evol 26:333–339
Byrne MJ, du Plessis D, Ivey PJ et al (2020) Education, training and capacity building in the field of
biological invasions in South Africa. In: van Wilgen BW, Measey J, Richardson DM, Wilson
JR, Zengeya TA (eds) Biological invasions in South Africa. Springer, Berlin, pp 727–754.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32394-3_25
Davies SJ, Jordaan M, Karsten M et al (2020) Experience and lessons from alien and invasive
animal control projects in South Africa. In: van Wilgen BW, Measey J, Richardson DM, Wilson
JR, Zengeya TA (eds) Biological invasions in South Africa. Springer, Berlin, pp 625–660.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32394-3_22
De Lange WJ, van Wilgen BW (2010) An economic assessment of the contribution of weed
biological control to the management of invasive alien plants and to the protection of ecosystem
services in South Africa. Biol Invasions 12:4113–4124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-0109811-y
De Wit M, Crookes D, van Wilgen BW (2001) Conflicts of interest in environmental management:
estimating the costs and benefits of a tree invasion. Biol Invasions 3:167–178. https://doi.org/10.
1023/A:1014563702261
1 Biological Invasions in South Africa: An Overview
25
South Africa is a highly diverse country. This has created opportunities for invasions, but also increases the onus on us to try to manage the impacts that they cause.
The problem of invasions seems daunting, but in tracking what we know now we can
chart a course to a future we desire. The science and practice of biological invasions
has come a long way over the past two centuries in South Africa, but much remains
to be done. Control operations are struggling to keep pace with the increasing
number and extent of invasive species, and conflicts of interest or differences in
perceptions complicate management. We hope this book will provide the foundation
for improved management of biological invasions in the future.
Acknowledgements We acknowledge 15 years of funding from the DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology (CÁIÁB) that has supported a wealth of research on biological invasions in
South Africa. Additional support was received from the Natural Resources Management
Programme of the South African Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF),
through a collaborative research project on “Integrated Management of invasive alien species in
South Africa” and through DEFF’s funding of the South African National Biodiversity Institute
(noting that this publication does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of DEFF or its
employees).
References
Abrahams B, Sitas N, Esler KJ (2019) Exploring the dynamics of research collaborations by
mapping social networks in invasion science. J Environ Manag 229:27–37. https://doi.org/10.
1016/j.jenvman.2018.06.051
Anonymous (1959) The green cancers in South Africa: the threat of alien vegetation to our own
South African veld and forest. Citadel, Cape Town
Baker A (2019) South Africa’s dividing line. Time 193(18):34–41
Bester MN, Bloomer JP, van Aarde RJ et al (2002) A review of the successful eradication of feral
cats from sub-Antarctic Marion Island, Southern Indian Ocean. S Afr J Wildl Res 32:65–73
Blackburn TM, Pyšek P, Bacher S et al (2011) A proposed unified framework for biological
invasions. Trends Ecol Evol 26:333–339
Byrne MJ, du Plessis D, Ivey PJ et al (2020) Education, training and capacity building in the field of
biological invasions in South Africa. In: van Wilgen BW, Measey J, Richardson DM, Wilson
JR, Zengeya TA (eds) Biological invasions in South Africa. Springer, Berlin, pp 727–754.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32394-3_25
Davies SJ, Jordaan M, Karsten M et al (2020) Experience and lessons from alien and invasive
animal control projects in South Africa. In: van Wilgen BW, Measey J, Richardson DM, Wilson
JR, Zengeya TA (eds) Biological invasions in South Africa. Springer, Berlin, pp 625–660.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32394-3_22
De Lange WJ, van Wilgen BW (2010) An economic assessment of the contribution of weed
biological control to the management of invasive alien plants and to the protection of ecosystem
services in South Africa. Biol Invasions 12:4113–4124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-0109811-y
De Wit M, Crookes D, van Wilgen BW (2001) Conflicts of interest in environmental management:
estimating the costs and benefits of a tree invasion. Biol Invasions 3:167–178. https://doi.org/10.
1023/A:1014563702261
1 Biological Invasions in South Africa: An Overview
25