Preface

Invasive alien species (IAS) are non-native species to a particular locality and have the tendency to spread very quickly when they have successfully established themselves in the new invaded areas. IAS include plants, insects, birds, nematodes, fish, frogs, cats, snakes, turtles, toads, and pathogens. The stages of invasiveness of these species include introduction pathways, establishment, and dispersal. Invasive species are found in all ecosystems including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems, and they can be introduced into new areas either accidentally or intentionally through anthropogenic activities. Introduction pathways of IAS include agricultural trade and accidental transport of adults and pre-imaginal stages of insects, plant seeds, and vegetative parts in containers and vehicles. Infested fruits and planting materials are the key introduction pathways for several invasive insect species including palm weevils, fruit flies, emerald ash borer (EAB), mealy bugs, spider mites, western flower thrips, tomato pinworm, the brown marmorated stinkbug, the fall armyworm, and others. IAS can spread by cars, trucks, ships, aircrafts, and other means of travel and transportation of goods. Increasing trade through globalization facilitates the spread of invasive species. Climate change also hastens the spread of IAS and renders ecosystems more vulnerable to invasion by non-native or exotic species. Insects are among the most numerous invasive species worldwide and the number of new invasions is increasing exponentially, representing a threat to the economy and the environment. Insects represent about 87% of invasive species and cost the global economy more than 70 billion US\$ annually, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is extremely difficult and sometimes near impossible to eradicate invasive species completely once they have established themselves in a new habitat. In most cases, exotic species flourish in their new habitat due to prevailing congenital environmental conditions and the absence of their natural enemies.

The impact of IAS on ecosystems may include endangering biological diversity through completion and niche displacement, vectoring of serious human and animal diseases, and increasing the risk of native species extinction. Inter-regional immigration through introduction of alien plant species may lead to hybridization, which is likely to increase the threat of species extinction due to introgression. IAS could also alter phylogenetic diversity across communities, modify trophic chains, and change ecosystem functioning and delivery of ecosystem services by changing nutrients and contaminants' cycling.

In the time of globalization, invasive species are gaining an increasing economic and ecological significance. There is a need for more research and comprehensive edited volumes on the impact of IAS on global agricultural activities as well as on the different ecosystems, particularly with the increasing evidence of climate change and global warming. This book addresses issues pertaining to invasive insect and plant species with emphasis on their introduction pathways, bionomics, dispersal, risk assessment, economic impact, possible management, and control options.

The book contains nine chapters over two sections; section one is about invasive insect species and includes five chapters, while section two deals with invasive plant

**II**

**Chapter 7 113**

**Chapter 8 127**

**Chapter 9 143**

Changing Climate and Advances on Weeds Utilization as Forage:

Provisions, Nutritional Quality and Implications

*by Francisca Hernández García, Lucia Andreu Coll, Marina Cano-Lamadrid, David López Lluch,* 

Feedstock for Material Science Applications

*Ángel A. Carbonell Barrachina and Pilar Legua Murcia*

*by Faten Mannai, Ramzi Khiari and Younes Moussaoui*

*Zahoor Ahmad and Muzammil H. Siddiqui*

Aspects

*by Muhammad Aamir Iqbal, Sajid Ali, Ayman El Sabagh,* 

Valorization of Prickly Pear [*Opuntia ficus-indica* (L.) Mill]: Nutritional Composition, Functional Properties and Economic

Novel Trend in the Use of *Opuntia* (Cactaceae) Fibers as Potential

species and contains four chapters. Sections one gives comprehensive information on the red palm weevil, which has emerged as the most serious and damaging pest of palm species grown for production of dates, coconuts, and oil. The Canary Island palm, mainly used for landscaping, is also severely injured by palm weevils. Included in this section are the tomato pinworm, which is threatening tomato production worldwide, and the emerging spotted wing *Drosophila*. Section two contains four chapters dealing with the hybridogenic activity of invasive species of Asteraceae and economic utilization of invasive weeds as forages and animal feed. The section also contain two chapters dealing with the economic aspects of some invasive species in the family Cactaceae, namely, *Opuntia ficus-indica*. Economic utilization of invasive species represents one important option for their management and raises the debatable question of whether invasive species are friends or foes. The information included in this book will benefit researchers, university teachers, ecologists, students, policymakers, and environmental activists.

I would like to thank all chapter authors for writing and submitting their excellent works. It would have been difficult to produce this book without their contributions. Other contributors who deserve thanks and acknowledgements are Author Service Manger Dolores Kuzelj, Commissioning Editor Kristina Jurdana, and other staff at IntechOpen for their unlimited assistance during the preparation of this book. I would also like to thank Marcos Soto-Hernandez, Jorge Reyes-Rivera, Agustin Maceda-Rodriguez, and Mariana Palma-Tenango who helped by reviewing and editing Chapters 8 and 9. The effort exerted by Commissioning Editor Martina Usljebrka Kauric at IntechOpen in reviewing Chapters 8 and 9 is appreciated and sincerely acknowledged.

Sincere and heartfelt thanks are due to my wife Nawal, son Ayman, and daughters Hiba, Hala, Safa, and Lojain for their understanding, continuous support, and encouragement. I dedicate this book to my colleagues at the Date Palm Research Center of Excellence, King Faisal University, and my colleagues, students, and friends at the Department of Crop Protection, University of Khartoum, Sudan.

> **Dr. Hamadttu A. F. El-Shafie** Research Entomologist, Date Palm Research Center of Excellence, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia

> > Department of Crop Protection, University of Khartoum, Shambat, Sudan

> > > **1**

Section 1

Invasive Insect Species

Section 1
