@article{KhurooWeberMaliketal.2011, author = {Khuroo, Anzar A. and Weber, Ewald and Malik, A. H. and Reshi, Zafar A. and Dar, G. H.}, title = {Altitudinal distribution patterns of the native and alien woody flora in Kashmir Himalaya, India}, series = {Environmental research}, volume = {111}, journal = {Environmental research}, number = {7}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {San Diego}, issn = {0013-9351}, doi = {10.1016/j.envres.2011.05.006}, pages = {967 -- 977}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Background: Many studies have shown that alien species richness pattern follows that of native species richness patterns along environmental gradients, without taking the specific composition of the two groups into account. Objectives: To compare species richness patterns of native and alien woody plants along an altitudinal gradient in Kashmir Himalaya, India, and to analyse the specific composition, e.g. proportion of life forms. Methods: Analysis of secondary data from published floristic inventories. The gradient (500-4800 m asl) was split into 100 m bands and presence/absence data for each species were obtained, for each band. Results: Species richness of both native and alien species followed a hump-shaped distribution. Alien species richness dropped faster above 2000 m asl than the native did. The ratio of trees to shrubs decreased monotonically along the gradient in native species, but showed a peak at c. 2500 m asl in alien species. Alien species flowered in average earlier than native species. Conclusions: The change of species richness of native and alien species along altitude is similar, but the proportion of life forms is not. Most likely both climatic and socio-economic factors affect alien species richness and its specific composition in the Kashmir Himalaya.}, language = {en} } @article{KhurooReshiMaliketal.2012, author = {Khuroo, Anzar A. and Reshi, Zafar A. and Malik, Akhtar H. and Weber, Ewald and Rashid, Irfan and Dar, G. H.}, title = {Alien flora of India taxonomic composition, invasion status and biogeographic affiliations}, series = {Biological invasions : unique international journal uniting scientists in the broad field of biological invasions}, volume = {14}, journal = {Biological invasions : unique international journal uniting scientists in the broad field of biological invasions}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {1387-3547}, doi = {10.1007/s10530-011-9981-2}, pages = {99 -- 113}, year = {2012}, abstract = {The wide knowledge gaps in invasion biology research that exist in the developing world are crucial impediments to the scientific management and global policymaking on biological invasions. In an effort to fill such knowledge gaps, we present here an inventory of the alien flora of India, based on systematic reviews and rigorous analyses of research studies (ca. 190) published over the last 120 years (1890-2010 AD), and updated with field records of the last two decades. Currently, the inventory comprises of 1,599 species, belonging to 842 genera in 161 families, and constitutes 8.5\% of the total Indian vascular flora. The three most species-rich families are Asteraceae (134 spp.), Papilionaceae (114 spp.) and Poaceae (106 spp.), and the three largest genera are Eucalyptus (25 spp.), Ipomoea (22 spp.), and Senna (21 spp.). The majority of these species (812) have no report of escaping from cultivation. Of the remaining subset of 787 species, which have either escaped from intentional cultivation, or spread after unintentional introduction, casuals are represented by 57 spp., casual/naturalised by 114 spp., naturalised by 257 spp., naturalised/invasive by 134 spp., and invasive by 225 spp. Biogeographically, more than one-third (35\%) of the alien flora in India has its native ranges in South America, followed by Asia (21\%), Africa (20\%), Europe (11\%), Australia (8\%), North America (4\%); and cryptogenic (1\%). The inventory is expected to serve as the scientific baseline on plant invasions in India, with implications for conservation of global biodiversity.}, language = {en} }