Abstract

Antarctica and the subantarctic islands have a series of climatic and geographic conditions that result in high levels of endemism and are of high priority for conservation. The synergies between climate change, globalization and biological invasions have made these ecosystems vulnerable to biodiversity loss. In Antarctic and subantarctic ecosystems, human activities (industrial, scientific and tourism) have historically functioned as vectors for the transport of propagules of non-native species, but due to extreme climatic conditions the risk of establishment has been low compared to other ecosystems worldwide. Current trends show that over the next few decades there will be a significant increase in tourism in these ecosystems (c. 100,000 tourists annually), which presents a greater risk of invasion associated with higher propagule pressure. These factors combined with the effect of climate change, will increase the establishment of non-native plants, increasing the risk of future impacts on the biodiversity of these ecosystems. This chapter reviews the most common non-native plants documented in Antarctic and subantarctic ecosystems, assesses their impacts and determines the role of tourism in the transport, establishment and dispersal of non-native plants.