Life at the front: history, ecology and change on southern ocean islands

Terrestrial ecosystems of southern ocean islands have enjoyed renewed attention recently owing to the discovery that their climates are changing dramatically. This has led to an enhanced understanding of the biogeography of this region, and an increased awareness that these ecosystems provide unriva...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in Ecology & Evolution
Main Authors: Bergstrom, D. M., Chown, S. L.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Elsevier Science 1999
Subjects:
C1
Online Access:https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:143426
Description
Summary:Terrestrial ecosystems of southern ocean islands have enjoyed renewed attention recently owing to the discovery that their climates are changing dramatically. This has led to an enhanced understanding of the biogeography of this region, and an increased awareness that these ecosystems provide unrivalled opportunities For investigating the impacts of environmental change on interactions between invasive and indigenous species. Recent studies have revealed increases in the abundance of established alien species and in the strength of their negative impacts on local biota, especially through indirect interactions. Also, increases in island temperature and human visitor frequency are likely to result in increasing numbers of successful alien colonization events.