Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- List of abbreviations
- 1 Introduction
- PART I FACTORS DRIVING CHANGES IN WILDLIFE
- 2 Climate change
- 3 Agriculture, woodland and semi-natural habitats
- 4 Vertebrate animal introductions
- 5 Plant introductions
- 6 Urbanisation and development
- 7 The Great Game: the interaction of field sports and conservation in Britain from the 1950s to 2008
- 8 Going fishing: recent trends in recreational angling
- 9 Impacts of hormone-disrupting chemicals on wildlife
- 10 Water pollution: other aspects
- 11 Twenty-five key questions in ecology
- PART II CONSERVATION IN ACTION
- PART III THE CASE HISTORIES
- Glossary
- Name index
- Subject index
- Plate section
- References
5 - Plant introductions
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- List of abbreviations
- 1 Introduction
- PART I FACTORS DRIVING CHANGES IN WILDLIFE
- 2 Climate change
- 3 Agriculture, woodland and semi-natural habitats
- 4 Vertebrate animal introductions
- 5 Plant introductions
- 6 Urbanisation and development
- 7 The Great Game: the interaction of field sports and conservation in Britain from the 1950s to 2008
- 8 Going fishing: recent trends in recreational angling
- 9 Impacts of hormone-disrupting chemicals on wildlife
- 10 Water pollution: other aspects
- 11 Twenty-five key questions in ecology
- PART II CONSERVATION IN ACTION
- PART III THE CASE HISTORIES
- Glossary
- Name index
- Subject index
- Plate section
- References
Summary
Summary
Plant introductions to the British Isles can be divided into those introduced before 1500, the ‘archaeophytes’, numbering c. 150 species and considered in Chapter 35, and those introduced later, the ‘neophytes’. The neophytes comprise a very large number in total, but with about 230 species having spread far from their original introduction site. Most neophytes have spread in the twentieth century. A remarkable number spread mainly or entirely by vegetative means. Neophytes occur throughout the British Isles, but are most common in disturbed sites and especially in south-east England. Certain neophytes have a particularly interesting historical distribution or exhibit taxonomic and ecological problems that have generated much research. Freshwater habitats contain several fast spreading and abundant neophytes that spread vegetatively.
Most neophytes are attractive insect-pollinated plants introduced initially for their ornamental qualities and, though they can become abundant in places, do not pose ecological problems. Examples are the Ivy-leaved Toadflax, some bellfowers and the Buddleia. They are broadly welcomed. A few have invaded sensitive habitats, but widespread ‘problem’ plants are very few in number: Japanese Knotweed, ‘Wild’ Rhododendron, New Zealand Pigmyweed, Himalayan Balsam and in a few places Hottentot Fig; maybe one or two others locally.
The widespread planting of trees, both native and non-native, and the spread of ‘wild flower mixes’ for roadside and meadow plantings has led to some mixing of native and non-native genetic material. Most of these have become inextricably mixed. […]
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Silent SummerThe State of Wildlife in Britain and Ireland, pp. 53 - 71Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010
References
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