Biological invasions, culture and biodiversity in South Africa

The guest on this episode of the podcast is William Beinart,
Rhodes Professor of race relations and director the African
Studies Centre in Oxford. Professor Beinart critiques Alfred
Crosby’s idea of ecological imperialism. He argues that from the
vantage point of Africa, part of the old world, Crosby’s
discussion of asymmetrical plant exchange is problematic. Many
species from the America’s were highly successful in Africa. He
suggests that demographically, economically, and socially, the
benefits have outweighed the costs of such invasive plants as
prickly pear from Mexico and black wattle from Australia. The
ecological costs have been greater but they are difficult to
value. The podcast concludes with some brief comments on the
relevance of a more flexible and less purist approach to concepts
of biodiversity, and how this might be adapted to cater for
transferred plants.