Preface
Éric Vindimian

Introduction. The ecology of invasions: old question, current news
Robert Barbault and Martine Atramentowicz
Historical background
The Invabio programme
A few lessons
In conclusion
 
1. Lessons from biological evolution: good and bad
Pierre Joly and Michel Pascal
What are biological invasions?
Building a niche
     Invader profile and biological trait analysis
     Biological evolution mechanisms
How is an invader's niche built?
     Differentiation – speciation
     Biological trait analysis
     Selection
     Facilitation versus antagonism
Insularity-related issues
Discussion
     Three aspects of the evolution of non-native species
     Invaders with or without parasites?
     Insularity
Conclusion

2. Impact on communities and ecosystems
Éric Tabacchi, Anne-Marie Planty-Tabacchi and Serge Muller
Introduction
"Community" and "ecosystem" approaches
     Invaded ecological communitie
     An ecosystem-approach to invasions
     Towards an integrated approach?
And the maintenance of biodiversity?
     The invader's ecological position
     Decreased or increased biological diversity?
Invasions and ecosystem functioning
     The role of constraints: stress versus disturbance
     The role of resources
Invasion and ecological services
     Balancing use to the ecosystem and use to man
     Using invasions
     Conclusion: must we give in to uncontrollable invasions?

3. A human science approach to biological invasions
Sergio Dalla Bernardina
Introduction
The relevance of human and social sciences
     New invaders, old scenarios
     Unconscious reactions
     Questions of perception
     The reasons and actions of social actors
     Social actors' reasons and actions
     Multiple perspectives in human sciences
Convergence
     The aesthetic factor
     Naturalist knowledge (and ignorance)
     Flexible representations
     Network logics
     Perceptive variations
     Time is ticking: what are researchers doing?
     Controversy over knowledge
     The federating invader
     The ecological conspiracy
     The Midas reflex 
Describe or prescribe? 
     The centre and the periphery
     A half-happy ending

4. Can biological invasions be managed?
Alain Dutartre
Introduction
Managing
     Defining the concepts
     Adapting management
     A general approach
Knowing
     Biology and ecology of invasive species
     Causes of introductions
     Colonisation stage
     Impacts on ecosystems and environment uses
     Concrete response options
Monitoring
     Main monitoring characteristics required
     The French context
Preventing
     Proposals
     The French situation
Responding 
     Solutions to be found
     Defining response issues
     Should we intervene?
     Defining response aims
     How to respond? 
     Economic analyses yet to be developed
Management-research relations
Conclusions and prospects

Conclusion. The science of biological invasions… or the rediscovery of ecology
An overview in seven lessons drawn from Invabio
A few questions to be explored
Conclusions

Bibliographical references

Glossary

List of Invabio programme research reports

List of authors