Invaded - The biological invasion of South Africa Leonie Joubert (OUT OF PRINT NEW)

Invaded - The biological invasion of South Africa Leonie Joubert(OUT OF PRINT NEW)

Pollution doesn't make for easy sonnets or flowing,romantic narratives. And that's what this title is about - pollution. Not theeveryday sort of pollution that we recognise so easily, the type which piles upinto stinking heaps of litter or that clogs the sky with filthy smoke. No, thisis a form of pollution which is so subtle and insidious that many people do notrealise it is there. Invaded is about biological pollution, the kind that comesin dense hedges of lush greenery, blooming fields of heady petals or gracefullydraped creepers. It may spread incognito on the wings of a bird, tug on the endof an angler's line or scurry unnoticed through the undergrowth. These pagesexplore plants and animals that have traversed the borders and boundaries oftheir natural habitats and made their way into South Africa over the past 300years and more. Unhindered by the predators and diseases which once kept theirpopulations in check, many have come to outnumber and out-compete the speciesthey encounter in their adopted homes. Invaded provides an overview of thedifferent species that have arrived in our country during the past threecenturies, and the threats they pose (or have the potential to become).Ultimately, the book attempts to quantify how these species have changedsystems, disrupted the natural environment and threatened the future of thecountry's many unique plants, animals and habitats.