I presume that all ecologists are aware (if not directly concerned with) the
need for cross-fertilization with other fields and remote specialties, such
as archaeology and paleopalanology. I am not at all surprised that Christina
has encountered difficulty in digging up dates of introduction in the
ecological literature (though, while I remember occasionally reading about
introduction dates decades ago, I do not remember where or when). One may
have to (horrors!) actually dig through real books in a real library and
even do research beyond the Internet.
One interesting reference I do remember is one by Hendry (first name
forgotten) who studied seeds and other plant parts found in adobe blocks
from the old missions in Mexico and California. He was interested in
introduction dates and dispersal mechanisms. (My late old [she died at 100]
friend, Alvina Storm, procured (by stealth) at least one of the blocks from
the San Diego Mission by riding, along with a girl friend, the streetcar in
San Diego to the end of the line in Kensington, hiking down the hill and
across the San Diego River to the mission, stealing the block(s), placing
them in a knapsack, hiking back up the hill to the streetcar line, and
shipping the contraband to Hendry (1920's or '30's?). She told my wife and
me this story in the '70's, when I mentioned Hendry's papers. She taught
geography for years at what is now San Diego State University, where a minor
building was named Storm Hall in her honor. She took her degrees at the
University of California and studied under Kroeber, Lowie, and Sauer. Sauer
told her that in Germany, women students were required to sit in the hallway
outside the lecture halls. But few women or men students know much of the
history of sexism in academia and the tangled web of its roots and rooting
out.
Some alien plants may have hop-scotched from one place to another, as Hendry
suspected, were introduced widely during the Great Invasion of the western
hemisphere, or radiated out from a single point of introduction.
If Alba were to provide a few more details about her study, she might get
more responses.
WT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Christina Alba" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2012 7:55 AM
Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Introduction dates for plants alien to the US
Dear Ecolog,
I need to compile introduction dates for about 400 plant species that were
introduced to the United States from Europe. Most of these species are not
well studied and their dates of introduction are not necessarily reported in
the primary literature.
First, is anyone aware of a resource where introduction dates of US aliens
are regularly reported? I have not been able to find anything of this sort.
Second, in lieu of such a compilation, does anyone have expertise is the
historical nursery trade or introductions via horticulture/forestry or with
early settlers from Europe? If so, please contact me directly
([email protected] or [email protected]).
I'd be happy to compile a list of useful resources for the list-serv.
Christina Alba
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