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A new and promising research approach is to use altitudinal gradients in mountains for understanding plant invasion processes along environmental gradients. We believe that mountainous regions provide particularly useful model systems for understanding ecological and evolutionary processes associated with plant invasions.
Mountains are also target regions of applied research because their peculiar ecosystems are increasingly threatened by alien plant invasions. This fact is reflected in rising concerns and management needs expressed by managers of mountain reserves.
Research on plant invasions into mountains brings together three top priority areas of modern ecological research:
- mechanisms of biological invasions
- patterns and impacts of global change and
- threats to mountain systems as natural heritage areas
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