Alien Species and Evolution: The Evolutionary Ecology of Exotic Plants, Animals, Microbes, and Interacting Native Species

393 Pages·2004·1.42 MB·English

by  George W. Cox

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ALIEN SPECIES
AND EVOLUTION

ALIEN SPECIES
AND EVOLUTION
The Evolutionary Ecology of Exotic Plants,
Animals, Microbes, and Interacting Native Species
George W. Cox
Island Press
Washington • Covelo • London
Copyright © Island Press
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.No part
of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writ-
ing from the publisher:Island Press,1718 Connecticut Avenue,NW,Suite 300,Washington,
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ISLAND PRESS is a trademark ofThe Center for Resource Economics.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data.
Cox,George W.,1935–
The evolutionary ecology of exotic plants,animals,microbes,and interacting native
species / George W.Cox.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1–55963–008–6 (cloth :alk.paper) — ISBN 1–55963–009–4 (pbk.:alk.paper)
1.Introduced organisms--Environmental aspects. 2.Introduced animal—
Evolution.
3.Exotic plants—Evolution. I.Title.
QH353.C69 2004
578.6'2—dc22 2003027299
British Cataloguing-in-Publication data available.
Design by Brighid Willson
Printed on recycled,acid-free paper
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Preface ix
Part I. Basic Concepts of Alien Invasion and Evolution 1
1. Alien Species and Accelerated Evolution 3
2. Adaptation of Alien Species for Dispersal and
Establishment 17
3. Founder Effects and Exotic Variability 32
4. Introduction Sources,Cryptic Species,and Invasion
Routes 47
Part II. Processes of Evolutionary Change and Adaptation 61
5. Hybridization and Evolution of Exotics 63
6. Hybridization and Transgenic Organisms 76
7. Invasion Resistance of Native Communities 89
8. Adaptation of Alien Species to New Habitats 105
Part III. Evolutionary Interaction of Aliens and Natives 119
9. Evolutionary Adaptation by Alien Herbivores 121
10. Evolutionary Adaptation by Alien Predators and
Parasites 134
11. Adaptation of Alien Diseases to Hosts and Vectors 148
12. Adaptation of Plants to Alien Herbivores and Diseases 161
13. Adaptation of Native Herbivores to Alien Plants 174
vii
viii Contents
14. Adaptation of Animals to Alien Predators,Parasites,and
Disease Agents 188
15. Accumulation of Herbivores,Predators,and Parasites by
Alien Species 202
Part IV. Global Evolutionary Consequences of Alien
Invasions 217
16. Alien Species as Agents of Extirpation and Extinction 219
17. Evolutionary Ecology of Alien Biological Control
Agents 232
18. Counteradaptation and Integration into the Biotic
Community 245
19. Dispersing Aliens and Speciation 258
20. Permanently Altered Biotic Communities 272
Literature Cited 287
Glossary 345
Index 355
Preface
The phenomena of biological invasions and rapid evolution have come
together in the last decade to reveal a host of cases of rapid evolutionary
change by alien species and the native species with which they interact.
All groups of organisms—plants, animals, and microorganisms of all
types—are involved.These examples of rapid evolution are of great inter-
est to theoretical biologists, but they include many aspects of applied
importance,as well.The potential for the spread of transgenes from plants
of economic importance to wild and weed relatives is substantial.The
same is true of transgenes introduced into populations of animals,espe-
cially those of importance in aquaculture and biological control.The
growing number of species introduced for biological control also means
a growing potential for ecological and evolutionary shifts that enable
these agents to attack nontarget hosts. More generally, the mixing of
genomes of alien and native species through hybridization increases the
potential for the evolution of new invasive forms.
Despite the numerous,well-publicized cases of evolutionary shifts in
human disease agents and the diseases and pests of agricultural plants and
animals, the public at large remains largely unaware of the accelerated
pace of evolution resulting from the massive introduction of species to
new geographical regions.In particular,systems of governmental regula-
tion of alien species tend to regard them as stable genetic entities.In edu-
cation,the concept of evolution is treated as a controversial theory of the
history of life on earth,rather than an on-going process of great relevance
to human welfare.
Recognition of the importance of rapid evolution involving alien
species culminates more than a half century of interest in the biology of
introduced organisms.In 1958,in perhaps one of the most forward-look-
ing publications in ecology,Charles Elton characterized introductions of
ix