Invasion ecology of plants

Timetable

In total 30 hours, including 15 hours of lectures and 15 hours of classes, max one group

The schedule week by week will be given at the beginning of the winter semester.

Module aim (aims)

• To increase the knowledge about the environmental and economic consequences of biological invasions, and their scale, as one of the major components of global environmental changes
• To understand factors determining the success of non-native plant species
• To learn how to identify non-native species and find information about their biology and ecology
• To learn how to assess the risks of invasions and negative impacts in a changing world

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

• Basic knowledge about plant ecology (at the level of undergraduate studies) 

Syllabus

Lectures:

Introduction to biological invasions – glimpse of the current situation, overview of the main problems, and environmental impacts. Why is it important?

History of introductions – pathways, trends, examples. General model of biological invasion. Level of invasion success and its variability. Main concepts in invasion ecology.

Determinants of invasive species success – biological traits of non-native species (invasiveness)

Determinants of invasive species success – characteristics of the recipient community (invasibility)

Determinants of invasive species success – propagule pressure

Impacts of invasive plant species on ecosystems – biodiversity and ecosystem functioning

Impacts of invasive plant species on human economy and well-being

Management of invasive plant species

Classes:

Identification of selected non-native plant species

Data sources on non-native plant species

Data sources on species ecology

Data sources on species distributions

Assessments of invasive plant species impacts – data sources

Risk analysis for invasive plant species

Wrapping up – presentations and discussion

Own work:

Review of a chosen invasive taxa and risk assessment based on data sources learned during classes - presentation

Reading list

Richardson D.M. 2010. Fifty years of invasion ecology. The legacy of Charles Elton. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Chosen articles in journals NeoBiota and Biological Invasions

 Chosen risk assessments and reviews on invasive species