Chapter 2
A Brief, Selective History of Researchers
and Research Initiatives Related
to Biological Invasions in South Africa
Brian W. van Wilgen
Abstract This chapter provides an overview of the researchers and research initiatives relevant to invasion science in South Africa over the past 130 years, profiling
some of the more recent personalities, particularly those who are today regarded as
international leaders in the field. A number of key points arise from this review.
Since 1913, South Africa has been one of a few countries that have investigated and
implemented alien plant biological control on a large scale, and is regarded as a
leader in this field. South Africa was also prominent in the conceptualisation and
execution of the international SCOPE project on the ecology of biological invasions
in the 1980s, during which South African scientists established themselves as
valuable contributors to the field. The development of invasion science benefitted
from a deliberate strategy to promote multi-organisational, interdisciplinary research
in the 1980s. Since 1995, the Working for Water programme has provided funding
for research and a host of practical questions that required research solutions.
Finally, the establishment of a national centre of excellence with a focus on biological invasions has made a considerable contribution to building human capacity in
the field, resulting in advances in all aspects of invasion science—primarily in terms
of biology and ecology, but also in history, sociology, economics and management.
South Africa has punched well above its weight in developing the field of invasion
science, possibly because of the remarkable biodiversity that provided a rich template on which to carry out research, and a small, well-connected research community that was encouraged to operate in a collaborative manner.
B. W. van Wilgen (*)
Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University,
Stellenbosch, South Africa
e-mail: bvanwilgen@sun.ac.za
© The Author(s) 2020
B. W. van Wilgen et al. (eds.), Biological Invasions in South Africa, Invading
Nature - Springer Series in Invasion Ecology 14,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32394-3_2
33
A Brief, Selective History of Researchers
and Research Initiatives Related
to Biological Invasions in South Africa
Brian W. van Wilgen
Abstract This chapter provides an overview of the researchers and research initiatives relevant to invasion science in South Africa over the past 130 years, profiling
some of the more recent personalities, particularly those who are today regarded as
international leaders in the field. A number of key points arise from this review.
Since 1913, South Africa has been one of a few countries that have investigated and
implemented alien plant biological control on a large scale, and is regarded as a
leader in this field. South Africa was also prominent in the conceptualisation and
execution of the international SCOPE project on the ecology of biological invasions
in the 1980s, during which South African scientists established themselves as
valuable contributors to the field. The development of invasion science benefitted
from a deliberate strategy to promote multi-organisational, interdisciplinary research
in the 1980s. Since 1995, the Working for Water programme has provided funding
for research and a host of practical questions that required research solutions.
Finally, the establishment of a national centre of excellence with a focus on biological invasions has made a considerable contribution to building human capacity in
the field, resulting in advances in all aspects of invasion science—primarily in terms
of biology and ecology, but also in history, sociology, economics and management.
South Africa has punched well above its weight in developing the field of invasion
science, possibly because of the remarkable biodiversity that provided a rich template on which to carry out research, and a small, well-connected research community that was encouraged to operate in a collaborative manner.
B. W. van Wilgen (*)
Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University,
Stellenbosch, South Africa
e-mail: bvanwilgen@sun.ac.za
© The Author(s) 2020
B. W. van Wilgen et al. (eds.), Biological Invasions in South Africa, Invading
Nature - Springer Series in Invasion Ecology 14,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32394-3_2
33