Invasive species fall under the large umbrella of ‘global change’, things that are changing rapidly in this age of human development. As such, it is largely intertwined with other major pillars of this global change, like the warming climate.
It is important to know that climate change is one, but definitely not the only, driver of plant invasions in mountains. It strongly interacts in this with increasing human presence and disturbance in mountains and the ever-increasing globalisation.
Climate change only plays a minor role on this blog. Not because it has only minor importance, but because it is not the focus of my research. I should however take the chance here on this page to assure you the problem of climate change is likely to be larger, more complex and if possible even more urgent to battle than invasion.
Belgium’s (almost, in the end there was an agreement) unbelievably shameful acting in the days towards the global climate conference in Paris made me realise it was my duty as an ecologist to at least include the issue here on my website. It turned out the world leaders managed to get a global agreement out of this conference, making the meeting more than a shameful fight for the last pieces of carrot.
But we have to act now, with small and large measurements. Carbon compensation schemes can help, but they are definitely not the final solution. Action towards renewable carbon-clean energy is the key.
For the description of a nice and easy test to show climate change to children: check here.
