The Risk of Invasions When Using Acacia spp. in Forestry

The use of exotic species by man can generate diverse environmental and economic benefits. Nevertheless, when dealing with exotic species, it is necessary to take into account its complex relationship with human communities and natural ecosystems. As a backfire, exotic species can alter the properties of local ecosystems, causing economic and environmental damage if they become invasive (Richardson et al. Divers Distrib, 17: 771–787, 2011a; Richardson et al. A compendium of essential concepts and terminology in invasion ecology. In: Richardson, D.M. (ed.) Fifty years of invasion ecology: the legacy of Charles Elton. Blackwell: Oxford, pp 409–420, 456, 2011b). In addition to the effect on the ecological integrity of ecosystems and, consequently, on the services provided by them, exotic species can be the cause of great economic losses directly influencing agriculture, forestry, and public health (Pimentel et al. Agric Ecosyst Environ, 84: 1–20, 2001). Recently, Vitousek et al. (2017) proposed that biological invasions are so widespread and the impacts are so vast that this should be considered as a significant component of global environmental change.