Chapter 13
The Role of Environmental Factors
in Promoting and Limiting Biological
Invasions in South Africa
John R. Wilson , Llewellyn C. Foxcroft , Sjirk Geerts ,
M. Timm Hoffman , Sandra MacFadyen , John Measey ,
Anthony Mills , David M. Richardson , Mark P. Robertson ,
and Brian W. van Wilgen
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
J. R. Wilson (*)
South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Cape Town,
South Africa
Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University,
Stellenbosch, South Africa
e-mail: john.wilson2@gmail.com
L. C. Foxcroft
Conservation Services, South African National Parks, Skukuza, South Africa
Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University,
Stellenbosch, South Africa
S. Geerts
Department of Conservation and Marine Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology,
Cape Town, South Africa
M. T. Hoffman
Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town,
Cape Town, South Africa
S. MacFadyen
Department of Mathematical Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
J. Measey · D. M. Richardson · B. W. van Wilgen
Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University,
Stellenbosch, South Africa
A. Mills
Department of Soil Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
M. P. Robertson
Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria,
Pretoria, South Africa
© 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_13
355