Abstract
The invasion by alien species of new regions and territories is a phenomenon of paramount importance, particularly in the last four centuries after the ‘Great Discoveries’. Biological invasion is likely to acquire soon an even greater frequency, because of the current transportation systems and the forthcoming global climatic change.
‘Invader’ species have diverse sets of ecological, physiological, genetic and morphological characteristics that make them suitable for wide dispersion, colonization and competition. We refer to their intrinsic aptitude and potential for invasion as their ‘biological necessity’.
Nevertheless, no one of the various sets of biological characteristics can fully explain success or failure to invade. It is indispensable for invaders to have caught opportunities to leave and to be transported, and to have found at their arrival open spaces, available resources and ecosystems poorly resistant to invasions. This is their ‘historical chance’.
Among new patterns of invasion are those associated to the release of genetically designed organisms. Bioengineered organisms cannot be related to any of the existing biogeographical realms. A new world-wide ‘anthropogenic realm’, with its own peculiar characteristics and trends, is to be considered.
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di Castri, F. (1990). On invading species and invaded ecosystems: the interplay of historical chance and biological necessity. In: di Castri, F., Hansen, A.J., Debussche, M. (eds) Biological Invasions in Europe and the Mediterranean Basin. Monographiae Biologicae, vol 65. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1876-4_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1876-4_1
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