Marine Bioinvasions: History, Science, and Policy Issues
James T. Carlton, Professor of Marine Sciences, Williams College
08 Feb 2008
We know surprisingly little about the history of the world's marine animals and plants over the past 1,000 years, particularly the extent to which modern-day distributions have been altered by human activities over the past millennium. The resolution we have since 1850 suggests that many marine communities were impacted dramatically by human-mediated invasions long before marine biologists appeared on the scene. In turn, the diversity of vectors now in play continues to introduce non-native species around the world. We look at some of these invasions in the context of maritime history, modern-day shipping, ecological impacts, and environmental policy challenges.