Tackling Invasive Alien Species in Europe: the top 20 issues

Joe Caffrey,Ruairi O’Conchuir,Paul Mcloone,Colette O’Flynn,Anthony Ricciardi,Petri Heinimaa,Pieter Boets,Trevor Renals,Stéphanie Hudin,Jan-Robert Baars,Niall Moore,Birgit Oidtmann,Lennart Edsman,Michael Millane,Chris Horrill,Stephen Hynes,Frances Williams,Philip J Boon ,Hugh J Macisaac ,Jackson A Gross ,R Shaw ,Cathal T Gallagher ,Toril Loennechen Moen ,Olaf L F Weyl ,J R Newman ,Jaimie T A Dick ,John W Early ,Jenny H Barbour ,Michael R O’farrell ,Philip E Hulme ,K Davenport ,Helen E Roy ,Frances E Lucy

doi:10.3391/mbi.2014.5.1.01

Abstract

Globally, Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are considered to be one of the major threats to native biodiversity, with the World Conservation Union (IUCN) citing their impacts as 'immense, insidious, and usually irreversible'. It is estimated that 11% of the c. 12,000 alien species in Europe are invasive, causing environmental, economic and social damage; and it is reasonable to expect that the rate of biological invasions into Europe will increase in the coming years. In order to assess the current position regarding IAS in Europe and to determine the issues that were deemed to be most important or critical regarding these damaging species, the international Freshwater Invasives - Networking for Strategy (FINS) conference was convened in Ireland in April 2013. Delegates from throughout Europe and invited speakers from around the world were brought together for the conference. These comprised academics, applied scientists, policy makers, politicians, practitioners and representative stakeholder groups. A horizon scanning and issue prioritization approach was used by in excess of 100 expert delegates in a workshop setting to elucidate the Top 20 IAS issues in Europe. These issues do not focus solely on freshwater habitats and taxa but relate also to marine and terrestrial situations. The Top 20 issues that resulted represent a tool for IAS management and should also be used to support policy makers as they prepare European IAS legislation.

Highlights

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are a priority issue under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), with Aichi Biodiversity Target 9 stating that ‘By 2020, invasive alien species and pathways are identified and prioritised, priority species are controlled or eradicated, and measures are in place to manage pathways to prevent their introduction and establishment’
It is estimated that 11% of the c. 12,000 alien species in Europe are invasive, causing environmental, economic and social damage; and it is reasonable to expect that the rate of biological invasions into Europe will increase in the coming years
A summary description of each of the Top 20 IAS issues determined at the FINS conference workshops is presented below

Summary

Introduction

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are a priority issue under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), with Aichi Biodiversity Target 9 stating that ‘By 2020, invasive alien species and pathways are identified and prioritised, priority species are controlled or eradicated, and measures are in place to manage pathways to prevent their introduction and establishment’. Great Britain and Ireland have many high impact invasive species in aquatic and terrestrial habitats, such as Asian clam Corbicula fluminea (Caffrey et al 2011; Lucy et al 2012; Barbour et al 2013) and the Harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Roy et al 2012), with other high impact IAS predicted to arrive, in freshwaters (Gallardo and Aldridge 2013). The rate of biological invasion is increasing generally, with greater needs than ever to predict their identities and impacts (Dick et al 2013). This increase could be exacerbated by climate change (Walther et al 2009)

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