The status of invasiveness of forest tree species outside their natural habitat: a global review and discussion paper

The status of invasiveness of forest tree species outside their natural habitat: a global review and discussion paper

Descripción

This discussion paper presents a global review of the status of the invasiveness of forest tree species outside their natural habitat. The review covers trees and woody shrubs commonly used in commercial forestry and agroforestry. Information for the review has been collated from published databases and papers, unpublished reports and personal communications. A number of definitions of “invasive species” have been suggested in the literature, some specifically for invasive plants or woody plants . It is recommended here that, in the context of forestry, a common definition be developed that focuses on parameters of population expansion only, because in some common definitions of invasive species impacts are preconceived to be negative. On a global basis, available information on the status of forestry trees that have become invasive is patchy. The terminology used by authors is also very variable and there is frequent overlap in the terms “invasive” and “naturalized”. The evaluation of the extent of invasions by forest trees is most often very qualitative and subjective which makes overall assessments of the magnitude of the problem difficult.