This book is an initiative of a subcommittee of SCOPE (Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment).

Preface; Part I. Introduction: 1. An ecological overview of the five regions with a mediterranean climate F. di Castri; Part II. Historical Background: 2. The palaeohistory of the Mediterranean biota Z. Naveh and J.-L. Vernet; 3. Human impact on the biota of mediterranean-climate regions of Chile and California H. Aschmann; 4. Central Chile: how do introduced plants and animals fit into the landscape? E. R. Fuentes; 5. Historical background of invasions in the mediterranean region of southern Africa H. J. Deacon; 6. A short history of biological invasions of Australia R. H. Groves; Part III. Biogeography of Taxa: IIIa. Higher Plants: 7. Invasive plants of the Mediterranean Basin E. Le Floc'h; 8. Invasive vascular plants of California M. Rejmanek, C. D. Thomsen and I. D. Peters; 9. Introduction of plants into the mediterranean-type climate area of Chile G. Montenegro, S. Teillier, P. Arce and V. Poblete; 10. Introduced plants of the fynbos biome of South Africa M. J. Wells; 11. Invasive plants of southern Australia P. M. Kloot; 12. Life cycles of some Mediterranean invasive plants I. Olivieri, P.-H. Gouyon and J.-M. Prosperi; 13. Invasion processes as related to succession and disturbance J. Lepart and M. Debussche; 14. Is fire an agent favouring plant invasions? L. Trabaud; 15. Plant invasion and soil seed banks: control by water and nutrients R. L. Specht and H. T. Clifford; 16. Invasion by annual brome grasses: a case study challenging the homoclime approach to invasions J. Roy, M. L. Navas and L. Sonié; IIIb. Mammals: 17. Patterns of Pleistocene turnover, current distribution and speciation among Mediterranean mammals G. Cheylan; 18. Introduced mammals in California W. Z. Lidicker Jr; 19. Ecology of a successful invader: the European rabbit in central Chile F. M. Jaksic and E. R. Fuentes; 20. Mammals introduced to the mediterranean region of South Africa R. C. Bigalke and D. Pepler; 21. Mammals introduced to southern Australia T. D. Redhead, G. R. Singleton, K. Myers and B. J. Coman; IIIc. Birds: 22. Invasions and range modifications of birds in the Mediterranean Basin J. Blondel; 23. Invasions in the mediterranean avifaunas of California and Chile F. Vuilleumier; 24. Birds introduced to the fynbos biome of South Africa R. K. Brooke and W. R. Siegfried; 25. Species of introduced birds in mediterranean Australia J. L. Long and P. R. Mawson; Part IV. Applied Aspects of Mediterranean Invasions: 26. Weed invasion in agricultural areas J. L. Guillerm; 27. Plant invasions in the rangelands of the isoclimatic mediterranean zone H. N. Le Houérou; 28. Forest plantations and invasions in the mediterranean zones of Australia and South Africa L. D. Pryor; 29. The importation of mediterranean-adapted dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from the northern hemisphere to other parts of the world A. A. Kirk and J.-P. Lumaret; Part V. Overview: 30. The biogeography of mediterranean plant invasions R. H. Groves; 31. The biogeography of mediterranean animal invasions F. di Castri; Index of scientific names; Subject index.