Invasive Alien Plants in Urban Ecosystems: Emerging Concerns and Socio-ecological Dimensions

This book provides a collection of contemporary researches focused on the challenges, impacts and precautionary measures to be taken to address invasive alien plant species in urban systems. The current scenario of rapid urbanization and anthropogenic disturbances across the globe are supplemental to the expansion of invasive alien plant species. Urban ecosystems are strangely under-explored in the constantly developing understanding of alien species invasions. In this book, topics related to alien plant species occurrence in urban ecosystems, their ecosystem services and disservices, their comparative assessment to native species, challenges to the urban ecosystems under changing climatic scenarios, the impact of alien plants on different components of urban environment/ecosystems, aesthetic values, livelihoods and health of urban dwellers, management approaches and policies related to alien plants in urban systems are highlighted. The book will be helpful in understanding the invasion process in urban centres as human-affected landscapes in urban areas are expected to support a larger chunk of alien species, and are instrumental in the dissemination of invasive propagules to nearby natural landscapes. Invasive alien plant species are reported as a serious threat to native biodiversity and human health. It is predicted that climate change associated disturbances or extreme events may play supportive role in colonization and spread of invasive alien plants in urban ecosystems.
This book will be suitable for students (undergraduate and postgraduates) of urban planning and architecture, urban agriculture, urban forestry, urban ecology, and environmental sciences; teachers, researchers, climate change scientists in academic and research institutions. It will also be applicable to town planning and environmental management agencies, government agencies and policy makers.

Dr. Rishikesh Singh is an Assistant Professor at Amity School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Amity University Punjab (AUP), Mohali, India. Dr. Singh completed his Ph.D. (2019) from the Institute of Environment & Sustainable Development (IESD), BHU, Varanasi, and a Post-doctoral fellowship (NPDF) from the Department of Botany, PU, Chandigarh. His research interests include various dimensions of ecology and environmental science, viz., vegetation analysis, tree seedling ecology, invasion ecology, urban ecology, soil carbon dynamics, land-use change and management, biochar technology, etc. He has worked on different ecosystems, including dry deciduous forests and savannas, riparian landscapes, and urban and agroecosystems of the tropical region.

Dr. Rahul Bhadouria is presently working as Assistant Professor Department of Environmental Science, Delhi College of Arts and Commerce (University of Delhi), India. He obtained his doctorate in Environmental Science from the Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, India. His areas of research are plant ecology, soil ecology, ecophysiology and urban ecology. He has published more than 40 papers in international journals in the fields of Forest ecology/Ecology/Soil Science/Environmental Science.

Dr. Sachchidanand Tripathi is presently working as Associate Professor (Department of Botany, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India). He obtained doctoral degree from the Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, India. The areas of his interest are plant ecology, soil ecology, ecophysiology and urban ecology.  He has published more than 65 publications (including research publications, books and book chapters, conference proceedings) with reputed international journals and publishers.

Prof. Ravinder Kumar Kohli is presently serving as Senior Emeritus Ecologist of ESA, USA, at Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. He has been JC Bose National Fellow of Govt. of India (for 2 terms of 5-yr each)- completed on 2 Dec 2021. He is ranked the top 2% of scientists of the world as per Stanford University USA for 3rd consecutive year. His current research interests include: Managing noxious weeds using environment-friendly techniques, Impact of invasive plants on the Ecology, How plants interact in environment, Urban Forestry and Weed Ecology, How mobile phones and their towers affect ecology and environment.

Prof. Hema Singh is presently working as Professor in Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. She has made outstanding contributions in the field of Agroecosystem particularly to understanding of microbial management and restoration of soil fertility by using different tillage options and different combinations of fertilizer and plant residues and also on the ecophysiology of crops and their dominant weeds. Her research findings have been reported in reputed journals like Journal of Applied Ecology, Soil Biology & Biochemistry, Applied Soil Ecology, Biology & Fertility of Soils, Soil & Tillage Research, Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, Current Science, Environmental Monitoring & Assessment, Plant Biosystems, International Journal of Pest Management, Rice Science, etc.