International Response under the Antarctic Treaty System to the Establishment of A Non-native Fly in Antarctica

Mónica Remedios-De León,Kevin Andrew Hughes,Peter Convey,Enrique Morelli

doi:10.1007/s00267-021-01464-z

Mónica Remedios-De León, Kevin Andrew Hughes + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-021-01464-z

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Abstract

Antarctica currently has few non-native species, compared to other regions of the planet, due to the continent’s isolation, extreme climatic conditions and the lack of habitat. However, human activity, particularly the activities of national government operators and tourism, increasingly contributes to the risk of non-native species transfer and establishment. Trichocera (Saltitrichocera) maculipennis Meigen, 1888 (Diptera, Trichoceridae) is a non-native fly originating from the Northern Hemisphere that was unintentionally introduced to King George Island in the maritime Antarctic South Shetland Islands around 15 years ago, since when it has been reported within or in the vicinity of several research stations. It is not explicitly confirmed that T. maculipennis has established in the natural environment, but life-history characteristics make this likely, thereby making potential eradication or control a challenge. Antarctic Treaty Parties active in the region are developing a coordinated and expanding international response to monitor and control T. maculipennis within and around stations in the affected area. However, there remains no overarching non-native invasive species management plan for the island or the wider maritime Antarctic region (which shares similar environmental conditions and habitats to those of King George Island). Here we present some options towards the development of such a plan. We recommend the development of (1) clear mechanisms for the timely coordination of response activities by multiple Parties operating in the vicinity of the introduction location and (2) policy guidance on acceptable levels of environmental impacts resulting from eradication attempts in the natural environment, including the use of pesticides.

Highlights

Many environments on the planet have been affected by non-native invasive species, including the islands surrounding Antarctica and the fringes of the continent itself (Frenot et al 2005; Convey and Lebouvier 2009; Hughes et al 2015; Pyšek et al 2020)
T. maculipennis (Diptera, Trichoceridae) is a non-native fly recently introduced into the maritime Antarctic South Shetland Islands (Volonterio et al 2013; Chown and Convey 2016; Potocka and Krzemiska 2018), north-west of the Antarctic Peninsula
We have described the introduction of the nonnative fly T. maculipennis to Antarctica, reported the increase in its distribution range and documented the efforts undertaken by National Antarctic Operators to eradicate it

Summary

Introduction

Many environments on the planet have been affected by non-native invasive species, including the islands surrounding Antarctica and the fringes of the continent itself (Frenot et al 2005; Convey and Lebouvier 2009; Hughes et al 2015; Pyšek et al 2020). Biological interactions, Environmental Management (2021) 67:1043–1059 including competition and predation, have generally been regarded as insignificant in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems and competitive ability does not form part of stress-selected life-history strategies (Convey 1996; Hogg et al 2006), recent research suggests a combination of abiotic and biotic factors may influence invertebrate abundance in some circumstances (Caruso et al 2013; Potts et al 2020) It is increasingly clear on some sub-Antarctic islands that non-native invasive predators (carabid beetles) have strongly negative impacts on many, often endemic, members of the native terrestrial invertebrate communities, which do not include analogous functional guilds

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