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Need for routine tracking of biological invasions

Publication at Faculty of Science |
2020

Abstract

Monitoring programs track environmental changes and are used to deepen scientific understanding, develop forecasts, and improve management (e.g., Sullivan et al. 2018; USGS 2019). Like other drivers of global environmental change, non-native invasive species (NIS) reduce biodiversity and ecosystem services and imperil human health (Kumschick et al. 2015; Latombe et al. 2017).

Estimates of NIS economic impacts are in the hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars per year globally (Kettunen et al. 2009; Bradshaw et al. 2016). The extent and severity of NIS impacts are growing and likely to increase further as new invaders increase and established invaders expand their ranges (Seebens et al. 2017).

Future damages are not inevitable because the number, range, and impacts of invaders can be at least partially reduced through management actions, including legislation, trade agreements, education, and targeted control (Pluess et al. 2012)