The impact of invasive species is second only to that of human population growth and associated activities as a cause of the loss of biodiversity throughout the world. In the United States, invasions of nonnative plants, animals, or microbes cause major environmental damage. The second edition of Biological Invasions: Economic and Environmental Costs of Alien Plant, Animal, and Microbe Species represents the most current, single-source reference containing scientific and economic information on this timely subject.

This volume reconfirms the diverse and unpredictable roles that non-native species assume as they invade new ecosystems: destruction of vital crops and forests, major damages to ecosystems leading to loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and water loss. The text provides information on how the non-native species invade new ecosystems, their subsequent environmental effects, and estimates on economic impacts. Biological Invasions supplies scientists, policymakers, and the public with a better understanding of the invading species and how to prevent their spread and improve control procedures.