Invasion Biology: An Emerging Field of Study

Biological invasions are increasingly recognized as a key problem for the conservation of biological diversity. However, the scientific recognition that some species, when introduced outside their native range, cause a decline in indigenous species, goes back to at least the writings of Charles Darwin. In the 1950s another British biologist, Charles Elton, wrote the first book attempting to describe the biology of invasive organisms. It was not until the 1980s, however, that the field of invasion biology as a discipline began to emerge. This emergence has resulted from two forces: the development of the scientific basis for invasion biology based on a substantial and accumulating literature, and the urgency of the invasive species issue because increased world trade and travel are increasing the frequency of invasions.