Effective management of Invasive Alien Species is possible
Background
Despite the often-encountered perception that managing Invasive Alien Species (IAS) is too costly, often unsuccessful, and there are few tools available to managers, a major global assessment found this not to be the case. Acknowledging that controlling Invasive alien species is complex, in assessing management challenges, opportunities and lessons learned it was well established that there is substantial knowledge, options and experience, which can be drawn on at the regional, national and local levels.
Between 2019 and 2023 the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) carried out a global Thematic Assessment on Invasive Alien Species and Their Control. The Assessment found that threats and impacts of invasive alien species are underrecognised, underestimated, and often unacknowledged in many regions and biomes around the world.
The Assessment underscored the complexity and importance of managing biological invasions (Roy et al. 2024; Sankaran et. al. (2023). However, the assessment also found that by adopting integrated and adaptive management approaches, leveraging technological innovations, and engaging stakeholders, what are the impacts of invasive aliens? species can be mitigated, and the resilience of ecosystems enhanced. Protecting biodiversity in the face of invasive aliens? species is a global challenge that requires coordinated efforts and sustained commitment.
The 14 Lead authors who undertook the challenge of assessing management challenges, opportunities and lessons learned in the management of Invasive Alien Species, produced a 700-page chapter based on a comprehensive literature and technical assessment of tools, strategies, challenges, and past successes and failures in the management of biological invasions. This chapter effectively provides the first global guide to the management of biological invasions built from peer-reviewed, grey literature references available to the assessment team as well as literature and experiences from other knowledge systems such as the Indigenous and Local Knowledge (Chapter 5; Sankaran et. al. (2023)). From 1320 references illustrating numerous case studies and supporting information, the Assessment provides a robust, evidence-based evaluation? of invasive alien species management lessons globally.
Six of the 12 management-relevant key messages that emerged
The Importance of Prevention and Preparedness
Preventing the introduction of IAS, where possible, is the most cost-effective strategy. This involves effective pathway management through international sanitary standards, import controls, and pre-border, border, and post-border biosecurity measures. Preparedness through surveillance and rapid response systems, built on agreed protocols and agreements, is crucial for early detection and rapid response towards the eradication of incursions.
Integrated Management Approaches
Effective management of IAS integrates pathway, species-based, and site-based management approaches involving prevention, early detection, eradication, containment, and control. Integrated management is best tailored to the specific contexts and stages of invasion
Adaptive Management
Adaptive management is implementing management using an experimental approach to understand and improve effectiveness by doing. Best led by stakeholders, Indigenous People and local communities, adaptive management promotes consensus, capacity building while optimizing management for triple-bottom-line benefits. Inclusive partnerships agree on management goals built on social learning. Goals are achieved through co-designed planning, co-developed decision-making, and co-implemented management.
Adaptive management, involving continuous long-term monitoring and adjusting strategies based on new information, effectively supports management actions. Engaging stakeholders, including Indigenous People and local communities, in the management process enhances the effectiveness and acceptance of interventions. Adaptive management is a key approach in management of biological invasions, assisting decision-making in management where there are data and knowledge gaps. This is often the case when resources are limited, and the management system is socially and ecologically complex.
Decision-support tools
Evidence- and consultation-based, qualitative, and quantitative decision support tools provide standards and frameworks that ensure decision transparency, accountability, adaptability, and repeatability of decision making. It is important to identify and document risks and uncertainties. Many decision-support approaches and methods exist to assist choice of management actions.
Technological Innovations are rapidly advancing
The development of new technologies, such as remote sensing, genetic tools, and robotic interventions, significantly enhance the capabilities for managing IAS. These innovations support surveillance, diagnostics, and direct control measures.
International and cross-sectoral collaboration
International and cross-sectoral collaboration through capacity-building networks and research and management partnerships supported by international agreements and joint targets improves transboundary management of biological invasions.
Global change
Managing invasive alien species in the context of global change can improve impacted ecosystem resilience to climate change. Extreme climate events increase ecosystem susceptibility to invasive species and effective management of them, combined with ecosystem restoration can build functional ecosystem resilience to climate change and Nature Positive outcomes.
Management of biological invasions that takes global change into account can also improve climate change resilience in ecosystems impacted by invasive alien species. Prioritizing invasive alien species management and developing the necessary strategies under climate change and habitat or land-use change is a knowledge and implementation gap that was highlighted. Considering climate change effects on invasive alien species and their management is rare but will be critical in the future (see figure).
Conclusion
The publication of the IPBES Invasive Alien Species Assessment and its adoption by 143 IPBES Member States in September 2023 is a landmark moment in international agreement on the need and means to tackle invasive alien species (Sheppard et al. 2023). While the Assessment evaluates options and provides key advice at a very high level, effective governance and actions need to take place between jurisdictions and stakeholders right down to on farm and on country to protect global biodiversity and ecosystem services. The many documented case studies and detailed examples support the value of approaches outlined at this local level and it is important when operationalising invasive species management to take heed of the messages and examples provided.
References
IPBES (2023) Summary for Policymakers of the Thematic Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and their Control of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Roy, H. E., Pauchard, A., Stoett, P., Renard Truong, T., Bacher, S., Galil, B. S., Hulme, P. E., Ikeda, T., Sankaran, K. V., McGeoch, M. A., Meyerson, L. A., Nuñez, M. A., Ordonez, A., Rahlao, S. J., Schwindt, E., Seebens, H., Sheppard, A. W., and Vandvik, V. (eds.). IPBES secretariat, Bonn, Germany. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7430692
Roy et al. 2024. Curbing the major and growing threats from invasive alien species is urgent and achievable. Nature, Ecology & Evolution 8: 1216–1223. DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02412-w
Sankaran, K. V., Schwindt, E., Sheppard, A. W., Foxcroft, L. C., Vanderhoeven, S., Egawa, C., Peacock, L., Castillo, M. L., Zenni, R. D., Müllerová, J., González-Martínez, A. I., Bukombe, J. K., Wanzala, W., and Mangwa, D. C. (2023). Chapter 5: Management; challenges, opportunities and lessons learned. In: Thematic Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and their Control of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Roy, H.E., Pauchard, A., Stoett, P., and Renard Truong, T. (eds.). IPBES secretariat, Bonn, Germany. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7430733
Sheppard, A., McGeoch M., Hulme P., and Cassey P. (2023) The true damage of invasive alien species was just revealed in a landmark report. Here’s how we must act. The Conversation Sept 4th https://theconversation.com/the-true-damage-of-invasive-alien-species-was-just-revealed-in-a-landmark-report-heres-how-we-must-act-211893
