Addressing biodiversity impacts in risk analysis: the need for information

exchange on invasiveness

Maj De Poorter, Mick Clout, Michael BrowneInvasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG), IUCN Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity,University of Auckland, New Zealand

Definitions usedDefinitions used

Invasive alien species (IAS): alien species whose introduction and/or spread threaten biological diversity (CBD, 2002).

Introduction: movement by human agency, indirect or direct, of an alien species outside of its natural range - past or present (CBD 2002) Note: can be within a country

Biodiversity = Biological Diversity: Diversity of species (including lower taxa), habitats and ecosystems

IAS affect plants

Photo: DOC

Plants can be major IAS

Photo: Scott Kam

MAGNITUDE OF THREAT: Invasive alien species are a large and growing threat worldwide, affecting biodiversity and livelihoods

Photo: Fen Beed

UN Convention on Biological DiversityUN Convention on Biological Diversity

Article 8(h): ‘….prevent the introduction of, control or eradicate those alien species that threaten ecosystems, habitats and species.’

Decision VI/23: Guiding principles, etc…

Decision VI/9: Global Plant Strategy (Target 10)

Draft POW Island Biodiversity

International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)

ISPM 11 - Rev 1 spells out Commodity itself can be invasive (e.g. the garden

plant can be a potential weed) Secondary effects of plant pest on other taxa can be

covered Effect on plant via effect on other taxa can be

covered Effects on native plants can be covered

The environmental impacts caused by IAS are wide ranging and often more complex and surprising than the impacts of, for example, agricultural weeds

Complexity of biodiversity impactsComplexity of biodiversity impacts

Complexity: “Dual Personality Species”

Photo: S. Ziller

Pop

ulat

ion

size

Time

Complexity: “Time lags”, adaptation

Time

Invasion easy to notice – hard to fight

Invasiveness not easy to notice – but easy to fight

Invasive alien plant Chromolaena odorata, in S. Africa: major invader of wetlands……

is a potential risk to:

Complexity: “surprising” indirect effects

CROCODILE SEX RATIO

Xmas Island : millions of migrating red crabs….

Killed by Yellow crazy ants

Complexity: ecosystem meltdown

Scale insects protected

Scale insects protected

Crabs killedCrabs killed

Crazy antsCrazy ants

Biodiversity impacted

Biodiversity impacted

Distant areasaffected

Distant areasaffected

Change litter invertebrates

Change litter invertebrates

Giant snails &Weeds

encouraged

Giant snails &Weeds

encouraged

Crabs killedCrabs killed

Negative impacts:treesseedlingsspecies compo- sition litter breakdown

Negative impacts:treesseedlingsspecies compo- sition litter breakdown

SolutionSolution

1) “guilty until proven innocent” - In the context of alien species, unless there is a reasonable likelihood that an introduction will be harmless, it should be treated as likely to be harmful (IUCN 2000).

2) Prevention, prevention, prevention!

Prevention – Intentional introductionsPrevention – Intentional introductions

White list – of alien species where risk analysis led to a determination that they are ‘low’ risk - and authorisation for introduction has been granted.

Black list – of alien species where risk analysis led to a determination that they are ‘high’ risk and therefore are prohibited for introduction.

Grey list – (further) review / analysis is required before a decision can be made. Introduction is not authorised at this stage.

New Zealand applies this white-black-grey list approach to all intentional introductions, and includes risks to biodiversity….

Prevention: Unintentional introductionsPrevention: Unintentional introductions

Unintentional introductions minimised through risk-based management of pathways

Example: NZ Risk analysis for exotic spiders associated with imported table grapes. Risk analysis included human health and risk to native fauna and flora. Resulted in tightening of IHS.

Cooperation: Ministry Agriculture and Forestry Department of Conservation Ministry of Health

Prevention Prevention Risk Analysis Risk Analysis

Under the IPPC, a risk analysis for a country will assess

a) the risk of entry, b) risk of establishment and c) potential damage that the alien species

may caused) options for management

Including biodiversity risks is a challenge: wider range of impacts, time lags, complexity, Information on prior invasiveness elsewhere is critical

A) Risk of entry A) Risk of entry

Information required includes: pathways associated with a species in the past up to date information on the global distribution -

native and alien (can “get on” a pathway from alien range too)

Pathway : introduction, but also for “spread”(spread usually has a large human component)

Risk of establishment: vulnerability of “receiving” Risk of establishment: vulnerability of “receiving” environmentenvironment

CLIMEX, GARP, BIOSECURE… An invasive species can show a wider climate

and/or environmental tolerance in alien range (e.g Possum in NZ, Salvinia in Sri Lanka)

Predictions & modeling should be based on native and alien distributions

Potential damage: threats to BiodiversityPotential damage: threats to Biodiversity

Information about impacts caused elsewhere (e.g. predation, competition, hybridisation, etc) can be used

IAS + exposure of native biodiversity impacts Biodiversity Impacts caused by IAS will be

different from one area to another It will usually not be possible, nor should it be

required, to predict the exact details (“PRA is a decision making tool not an ecosystem model” Randall)

Potential Damage: Risk of InvasivenessPotential Damage: Risk of Invasiveness

Photo: Landcare

"Only one factor has consistently high correlation with invasiveness: whether or not the species is invasive elsewhere“ (Wittenberg et al. 2001).

Management optionsManagement options

Information on prevention, early detection and rapid response, eradication and control methods used elsewhere

Lessons learned from success and failure need to be shared widely

To summariseTo summarise

Globally sourced information is needed

ecological characteristics prior invasiveness biodiversity impacts caused global distribution (alien range

as well as native) introduction pathways pathways for spread (including

human) management, and lessons

learned

ISSG’s roleISSG’s role

The Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) of IUCN is involved in several "vehicles" for such international information exchange, including 1) Manages the Global Invasive Species

Database (GISD) 2) Planned development of a "global register of

invasive species“3) The listserver Aliens-L4) Contributes to Global Invasive Species

Information Network (GISIN)

• International cooperation • Collaborative effort of ISSG, UOA, Landcare, NBII• 50,700 hits per day (700 individual users)

Global Invasive Species DatabaseGlobal Invasive Species Database Global Invasive Species DatabaseGlobal Invasive Species Database

www.issg.org/database and www.invasivespecies.net/database

Authoritative information on IAS that affect biodiversity

Management tool as well as raising awareness Standardised, simple format Free & easily available Globally sourced information for local deployment

Ecology, pathwaysDistribution and biostatus (by country)Management (generic and location specific)References, links, contacts

Global Invasive Species DatabaseGlobal Invasive Species Database Global Invasive Species DatabaseGlobal Invasive Species Database

2) Development global register invasive species

Aim of such global register / masterlist: Provide a warning that an alien species has

been considered to have biodiversity impacts anywhere in the world

Users can follow up on those cases that are most relevant to them

Information from National and regional sources Agencies, but also practitioners Will include information not formally published ISSG and IUCN expert networks.

3) Aliens-L3) Aliens-L

Dedicated to IAS information and related issues Focus on environmental invasive species You can make use of Alien-L without subscribing to it Searchable archive: http://cain.nbii.gov/cgi-bin/aliens-l.cgi Practitioners helping each other Email based rather than internet Anarchic and grassroots 600 subscribers It works!

R.Wittenberg

4) The Global Invasive Species Information Network 4) The Global Invasive Species Information Network (GISIN)(GISIN)

Will provide a platform through which IAS data and information from participating databases can be accessed.

Build the capacity of network members - ‘capacity building’ database that will be offered at no cost

ISSG contributions to development of the GISIN include development of an exchange standard for sharing IAS information (see the draft Invasive Species Profile Schema Login: ias Password: ias2). https://www.biodiv.org/doc/restricted/gisin/default.aspx

Food for thought (1) : Internet Food for thought (1) : Internet Digital Divide Digital Divide

Providing internet access is not enough - it disenfranchises those with slow, unreliable or NO internet access (e.g S Pacific, Large Parts of Africa,…)

Food for thought (2): Conservation CommonsFood for thought (2): Conservation Commons

Information is power Social equity – communities must be able to

solve their own IAS problems IUCN believes that information for Conservation

must be freely available Conservation Commons has the following

principles: Open Access Mutual Benefit Rights and Responsibilities

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

IAS management requires International information exchange (as well as national and regional) – prior invasiveness information is critical

Structured as well as “grass roots” approaches are required

Internet is good but not the whole answer Information that will assist IAS management for

conservation must be freely available

We welcome assistance – partnerships, resources

Prevention of IAS protects biodiversity, livelihoods, economy, health Prevention of IAS protects current and future trade

Thank youwww.issg.org