A vision for global monitoring of biological invasions
Monash University1, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic2, Leibniz Association3, University of Fribourg4, University of Porto5, University of Auckland6, The Lodge7, Global Biodiversity Information Facility8, Stellenbosch University9, Yale University10, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources11
TL;DR: It is shown how this novel, synthetic approach to an observation system for alien species provides a tangible and attainable solution to delivering the information needed to slow the rate of new incursions and reduce the impacts of invaders.
About: This article is published in Biological Conservation.The article was published on 2017-09-01 and is currently open access. It has received 183 citations till now.
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Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic1, Stellenbosch University2, Charles University in Prague3, Canterbury of New Zealand4, University of Tennessee5, University of Fribourg6, University College London7, Zoological Society of London8, Williams College9, Durham University10, University of Vienna11, South African National Parks12, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources13, Free University of Berlin14, Leibniz Association15, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ16, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg17, United States Forest Service18, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague19, University of Toronto20, University of Rhode Island21, University of Concepción22, Taizhou University23, University of Konstanz24, University of Seville25, Spanish National Research Council26, University of Pretoria27
TL;DR: Improved international cooperation is crucial to reduce the impacts of invasive alien species on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human livelihoods, as synergies with other global changes are exacerbating current invasions and facilitating new ones, thereby escalating the extent and impacts of invaders.
Abstract: Biological invasions are a global consequence of an increasingly connected world and the rise in human population size The numbers of invasive alien species – the subset of alien species that spread widely in areas where they are not native, affecting the environment or human livelihoods – are increasing Synergies with other global changes are exacerbating current invasions and facilitating new ones, thereby escalating the extent and impacts of invaders Invasions have complex and often immense long‐term direct and indirect impacts In many cases, such impacts become apparent or problematic only when invaders are well established and have large ranges Invasive alien species break down biogeographic realms, affect native species richness and abundance, increase the risk of native species extinction, affect the genetic composition of native populations, change native animal behaviour, alter phylogenetic diversity across communities, and modify trophic networks Many invasive alien species also change ecosystem functioning and the delivery of ecosystem services by altering nutrient and contaminant cycling, hydrology, habitat structure, and disturbance regimes These biodiversity and ecosystem impacts are accelerating and will increase further in the future Scientific evidence has identified policy strategies to reduce future invasions, but these strategies are often insufficiently implemented For some nations, notably Australia and New Zealand, biosecurity has become a national priority There have been long‐term successes, such as eradication of rats and cats on increasingly large islands and biological control of weeds across continental areas However, in many countries, invasions receive little attention Improved international cooperation is crucial to reduce the impacts of invasive alien species on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human livelihoods Countries can strengthen their biosecurity regulations to implement and enforce more effective management strategies that should also address other global changes that interact with invasions
677 citations
Cites background from "A vision for global monitoring of b..."
...…capacities to respond to invasions differ among countries (Early et al., 2016); the recently suggested modular approach to building global knowledge with all countries being able to participate and strategically build their contributions has great potential (Latombe et al., 2017)....
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TL;DR: The InvaCost database has enabled the generation of a reliable, comprehensive, standardized and easily updatable synthesis of the monetary costs of biological invasions worldwide as mentioned in this paper, with the total reported costs reaching a minimum of US$1288 trillion (2017 US dollars).
Abstract: Biological invasions are responsible for substantial biodiversity declines as well as high economic losses to society and monetary expenditures associated with the management of these invasions1,2 The InvaCost database has enabled the generation of a reliable, comprehensive, standardized and easily updatable synthesis of the monetary costs of biological invasions worldwide3 Here we found that the total reported costs of invasions reached a minimum of US$1288 trillion (2017 US dollars) over the past few decades (1970-2017), with an annual mean cost of US$268 billion Moreover, we estimate that the annual mean cost could reach US$1627 billion in 2017 These costs remain strongly underestimated and do not show any sign of slowing down, exhibiting a consistent threefold increase per decade We show that the documented costs are widely distributed and have strong gaps at regional and taxonomic scales, with damage costs being an order of magnitude higher than management expenditures Research approaches that document the costs of biological invasions need to be further improved Nonetheless, our findings call for the implementation of consistent management actions and international policy agreements that aim to reduce the burden of invasive alien species
396 citations
01 Jul 2011
TL;DR: This article proposed a unified framework for biological invasions that reconciles and integrates the key features of the most commonly used invasion frameworks into a single conceptual model that can be applied to all human-mediated invasions.
Abstract: There has been a dramatic growth in research on biological invasions over the past 20 years, but a mature understanding of the field has been hampered because invasion biologists concerned with different taxa and different environments have largely adopted different model frameworks for the invasion process, resulting in a confusing range of concepts, terms and definitions. In this review, we propose a unified framework for biological invasions that reconciles and integrates the key features of the most commonly used invasion frameworks into a single conceptual model that can be applied to all human-mediated invasions. The unified framework combines previous stage-based and barrier models, and provides a terminology and categorisation for populations at different points in the invasion process.
338 citations
Yale University1, Monash University2, Florida Museum of Natural History3, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation4, University of Colorado Boulder5, University of Auckland6, NatureServe7, California Institute of Technology8, Leipzig University9, University of South Florida10, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg11, University of Porto12, World Conservation Monitoring Centre13, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ14, Office of Environment and Heritage15
TL;DR: The unified concept presented links disparate data to downstream uses and informs a vision for species population monitoring in which data collection is closely integrated with models and infrastructure to support effective biodiversity assessment.
Abstract: Species distributions and abundances are undergoing rapid changes worldwide. This highlights the significance of reliable, integrated information for guiding and assessing actions and policies aimed at managing and sustaining the many functions and benefits of species. Here we synthesize the types of data and approaches that are required to achieve such an integration and conceptualize ‘essential biodiversity variables’ (EBVs) for a unified global capture of species populations in space and time. The inherent heterogeneity and sparseness of raw biodiversity data are overcome by the use of models and remotely sensed covariates to inform predictions that are contiguous in space and time and global in extent. We define the species population EBVs as a space–time–species–gram (cube) that simultaneously addresses the distribution or abundance of multiple species, with its resolution adjusted to represent available evidence and acceptable levels of uncertainty. This essential information enables the monitoring of single or aggregate spatial or taxonomic units at scales relevant to research and decision-making. When combined with ancillary environmental or species data, this fundamental species population information directly underpins a range of biodiversity and ecosystem function indicators. The unified concept we present links disparate data to downstream uses and informs a vision for species population monitoring in which data collection is closely integrated with models and infrastructure to support effective biodiversity assessment. Changes in species distribution and abundance can be captured using essential biodiversity variables (EBVs). Here, the authors synthesize the data and approaches needed for EBVs that allow monitoring of populations in both space and time.
243 citations
University of Fribourg1, Stellenbosch University2, University of Adelaide3, Zoological Society of London4, University of Vienna5, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources6, Free University of Berlin7, Leibniz Association8, Food and Environment Research Agency9, Loyola University Chicago10, CABI11, ETH Zurich12, University of Bern13, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic14, Charles University in Prague15, Environment Agency16, Spanish National Research Council17
TL;DR: A novel standardised method for classifying alien taxa in terms of the magnitude of their impacts on human well-being, based on the capability approach from welfare economics is proposed, which provides a consistent procedure for translating the broad range of measures and types of impact into ranked levels of socio-economic impact.
Abstract: Many alien taxa are known to cause socio-economic impacts by affecting the different constituents of human well-being (security; material and non-material assets; health; social, spiritual and cultural relations; freedom of choice and action). Attempts to quantify socio-economic impacts in monetary terms are unlikely to provide a useful basis for evaluating and comparing impacts of alien taxa because they are notoriously difficult to measure and important aspects of human well-being are ignored.
Here, we propose a novel standardised method for classifying alien taxa in terms of the magnitude of their impacts on human well-being, based on the capability approach from welfare economics. The core characteristic of this approach is that it uses changes in peoples' activities as a common metric for evaluating impacts on well-being.
Impacts are assigned to one of five levels, from Minimal Concern to Massive, according to semi-quantitative scenarios that describe the severity of the impacts. Taxa are then classified according to the highest level of deleterious impact that they have been recorded to cause on any constituent of human well-being. The scheme also includes categories for taxa that are not evaluated, have no alien population, or are data deficient, and a method for assigning uncertainty to all the classifications. To demonstrate the utility of the system, we classified impacts of amphibians globally. These showed a variety of impacts on human well-being, with the cane toad (Rhinella marina) scoring Major impacts. For most species, however, no studies reporting impacts on human well-being were found, i.e. these species were data deficient.
The classification provides a consistent procedure for translating the broad range of measures and types of impact into ranked levels of socio-economic impact, assigns alien taxa on the basis of the best available evidence of their documented deleterious impacts, and is applicable across taxa and at a range of spatial scales. The system was designed to align closely with the Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) and the Red List, both of which have been adopted by the International Union of Nature Conservation (IUCN), and could therefore be readily integrated into international practices and policies.
202 citations
Cites background from "A vision for global monitoring of b..."
...…could be used for developing an indicator of trends in socio-economic impacts, which is of crucial importance to guide policy and management decisions (Latombe et al. 2017; Rabitsch et al. 2016)....
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...net/indicators/red-list-index/red-list-index-impacts-ofinvasive-alien-species) could be used for developing an indicator of trends in socioeconomic impacts, which is of crucial importance to guide policy and management decisions (Latombe et al., 2017; Rabitsch et al., 2016)....
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References
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University of Tennessee1, Centre national de la recherche scientifique2, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources3, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences4, Missouri Botanical Garden5, University of Paris-Sud6, University of Girona7, Institut national de la recherche agronomique8, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic9, Charles University in Prague10, University of Porto11, University of Minho12, Paul Sabatier University13, Spanish National Research Council14
TL;DR: Recent progress in understanding invasion impacts and management is highlighted, and the challenges that the discipline faces in its science and interactions with society are discussed.
Abstract: Study of the impacts of biological invasions, a pervasive component of global change, has generated remarkable understanding of the mechanisms and consequences of the spread of introduced populations. The growing field of invasion science, poised at a crossroads where ecology, social sciences, resource management, and public perception meet, is increasingly exposed to critical scrutiny from several perspectives. Although the rate of biological invasions, elucidation of their consequences, and knowledge about mitigation are growing rapidly, the very need for invasion science is disputed. Here, we highlight recent progress in understanding invasion impacts and management, and discuss the challenges that the discipline faces in its science and interactions with society.
2,346 citations
TL;DR: A unified framework for biological invasions is proposed that reconciles and integrates the key features of the most commonly used invasion frameworks into a single conceptual model that can be applied to all human-mediated invasions.
Abstract: There has been a dramatic growth in research on biological invasions over the past 20 years, but a mature understanding of the field has been hampered because invasion biologists concerned with different taxa and different environments have largely adopted different model frameworks for the invasion process, resulting in a confusing range of concepts, terms and definitions. In this review, we propose a unified framework for biological invasions that reconciles and integrates the key features of the most commonly used invasion frameworks into a single conceptual model that can be applied to all human-mediated invasions. The unified framework combines previous stage-based and barrier models, and provides a terminology and categorisation for populations at different points in the invasion process.
1,795 citations
"A vision for global monitoring of b..." refers background in this paper
...in r A matrix of alien species occurrences (presence and where possible absence) by particular locations Requiring Essential Variables 1 and 2: – Alien species area of occupancy – Alien species inventories for countries and sites – Number of alien species per site, area or geopolitical unit – Trends in numbers of alien species – Propagule pressure or invasion rate – Status of species along the introduction–naturalization–invasion continuum (Blackburn et al., 2011) – An alert system for new incursions – Model-based predictions of which species are candidates for future incursion Categorical Alien/Native for each species record from which the introduced range...
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University of Lisbon1, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation2, Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources and Environment3, California Institute of Technology4, Wageningen University and Research Centre5, Cardiff University6, American Museum of Natural History7, BirdLife International8, University of British Columbia9, Food and Agriculture Organization10, Australian Museum11, Leibniz Association12, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds13, University of Maryland, College Park14, Yale University15, Stanford University16, Monash University17, Kyoto University18, Zoological Society of London19, United States Geological Survey20, University of Sussex21, United Nations Environment Programme22, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources23, Office of Environment and Heritage24
TL;DR: With the first plenary meeting of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) soon under way, partners are developing—and seeking consensus around—Essential Biod diversity Variables (EBVs) that could form the basis of monitoring programs worldwide.
Abstract: Reducing the rate of biodiversity loss and averting dangerous biodiversity change are international goals, reasserted by the Aichi Targets for 2020 by Parties to the United Nations (UN) Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) after failure to meet the 2010 target (1, 2). However, there is no global, harmonized observation system for delivering regular, timely data on biodiversity change (3). With the first plenary meeting of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) soon under way, partners from the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) (4) are developing—and seeking consensus around—Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) that could form the basis of monitoring programs worldwide.
1,074 citations
Spanish National Research Council1, Autonomous University of Barcelona2, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic3, Environmental Protection Agency4, University of Bern5, Klaipėda University6, Institut national de la recherche agronomique7, Natural Environment Research Council8, Canterbury of New Zealand9
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a review of the financial costs of alien species in Europe, as the first step toward calculating an estimate of the economic consequences of extraterrestrial species.
Abstract: Recent comprehensive data provided through the DAISIE project (www.europe-aliens.org) have facilitated the development of the first pan-European assessment of the impacts of alien plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates – in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments – on ecosystem services. There are 1094 species with documented ecological impacts and 1347 with economic impacts. The two taxonomic groups with the most species causing impacts are terrestrial invertebrates and terrestrial plants. The North Sea is the maritime region that suffers the most impacts. Across taxa and regions, ecological and economic impacts are highly correlated. Terrestrial invertebrates create greater economic impacts than ecological impacts, while the reverse is true for terrestrial plants. Alien species from all taxonomic groups affect “supporting”, “provisioning”, “regulating”, and “cultural” services and interfere with human well-being. Terrestrial vertebrates are responsible for the greatest range of impacts, and these are widely distributed across Europe. Here, we present a review of the financial costs, as the first step toward calculating an estimate of the economic consequences of alien species in Europe.
985 citations
"A vision for global monitoring of b..." refers background in this paper
...000 species of alien plants and animals, of which 15% are known to negatively impact biodiversity (Vilà et al., 2010)....
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Dalhousie University1, United Nations Environment Programme2, Bedford Institute of Oceanography3, Queen's University4, American Museum of Natural History5, BirdLife International6, University of Paris-Sud7, Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency8, United Nations9, Utrecht University10, University of British Columbia11, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development12, The Lodge13, Marine Stewardship Council14, Global Biodiversity Information Facility15, University of Wisconsin-Madison16, University of Queensland17, Zoological Society of London18, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg19, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources20, College of William & Mary21, Sapienza University of Rome22, University of Sussex23, Environment Agency24, University of Vienna25, Microsoft26
TL;DR: A comprehensive mid-term assessment of progress toward 20 biodiversity-related “Aichi Targets” to be achieved within a decade is provided using 55 indicator data sets and pinpoints the problems and areas that will need the most attention in the next few years.
Abstract: In 2010, the international community, under the auspices of the Convention on Biological Diversity, agreed on 20 biodiversity-related “Aichi Targets” to be achieved within a decade. We provide a comprehensive mid-term assessment of progress toward these global targets using 55 indicator data sets. We projected indicator trends to 2020 using an adaptive statistical framework that incorporated the specific properties of individual time series. On current trajectories, results suggest that despite accelerating policy and management responses to the biodiversity crisis, the impacts of these efforts are unlikely to be reflected in improved trends in the state of biodiversity by 2020. We highlight areas of societal endeavor requiring additional efforts to achieve the Aichi Targets, and provide a baseline against which to assess future progress.
970 citations