Gregory+Niguidula+-+Chapter+Summaries

Introduction -This will be the introduction to the topic, written under the assumption that the reader is completely unaware of the subject. In this chapter an overview of the entire project will be laid out as well as my rationale for doing it.

History of Invasive Species Management Policy -This section will describe, in detail, the history of policies that have been put in place to curb the spread of invasive species. References will be made to the United States laws passed in 1900 that provide for control of "injurious species" but the real starting point will be the publication of //The Ecology of Invasions by Animals and Plants// by Charles Elton. Drawing upon literature reviews and other documents the development of the scientific field of invasion ecology and the effect it has had on policy will be traced up to the present day.

Literature Review & Analysis -This will be the first chapter in which I showcase the "results" of my work. The section will be comprised of an analysis of current laws and research articles which I will use to explain how "desired natures" affect current literature and policy.

Interviews -The effect of desired natures on the interviewees will be demonstrated using the interviews I will have conducted. This chapter will be divided into sections, one for each interviewee, and the answers each person gave will be analyzed. I will attempt to explain their motivations, assumptions, and mindsets surrounding their experience with invasive species and leverage any other insights the interviews reveal.

Case Studies -Three or four specific species will be chosen for the case study chapter(s) of the thesis. During the literature review and interview portions certain invasive species will be referenced more than others. I will analyze the policies and attitudes (from the interviews) towards these chosen species in order to discern how the "desired nature" concept has affected them.

Policy Recommendations & Conclusion -With all the collected data presented, the last part of the thesis will be the presentation of the policy recommendations. Utilizing everything learned from the previous sections, methods and ideas for how to go about removing the negative effects of desired natures from current invasive species policies will be proposed. The thesis will then be concluded with possibilities for future work and a brief discussion of the direction the field of invasion ecology is headed in.