Some Concerns About the Canary Islands and the Introduced Species in Forest Stands

ABSTRACT

Invasive alien species can have a detrimental economic impact on human enterprises such as agriculture, grazing, forestry and tourist activities. Forest invasive species have been identified as one the major threats to ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as human well-being. In this Hot Issue I have tried to collect information from research groups working on different aspects of forest invasions in the Canary Islands, analyzing the effect at different levels and the interactions of exotic plant species in forest areas. The studies focus on specific species as Acacia farnesiana, Pinus radiata or Phoenix dactylifera as well as the impact of exotic species at forest plant community level. These results could help guide the development of restoration plans, land reclamation and conservation planning in order to increase the protection against exotic species dispersion in the archipelago.