Abstract. The Ecological Society of America has evaluated current U.S. national policies and practices on biological invasions in light of current scientific knowledge. Invasions by harmful nonnative species are increasing in number and area affected; the damages to ecosystems, economic activity, and human welfare are accumulating. Without improved strategies based on recent scientific advances and increased investments to counter invasions, harm from invasive species is likely to accelerate. Federal leadership, with the cooperation of state and local governments, is required to increase the effectiveness of prevention of invasions, detect and respond quickly to new potentially harmful invasions, control and slow the spread of existing invasions, and provide a national center to ensure that these efforts are coordinated and cost effective.Specifically, the Ecological Society of America recommends that the federal government take the following six actions: (1) Use new information and practices to better manage commercial and other pathways to reduce the transport and release of potentially harmful species; (2) Adopt more quantitative procedures for risk analysis and apply them to every species proposed for importation into the country; (3) Use new cost-effective diagnostic technologies to increase active surveillance and sharing of information about invasive species so that responses to new invasions can be more rapid and effective; (4) Create new legal authority and provide emergency funding to support rapid responses to emerging invasions; (5) Provide funding and incentives for cost-effective programs to slow the spread of existing invasive species in order to protect still uninvaded ecosystems, social and industrial infrastructure, and human welfare; and (6) Establish a National Center for Invasive Species Management (under the existing National Invasive Species Council) to coordinate and lead improvements in federal, state, and international policies on invasive species.Recent scientific and technical advances provide a sound basis for more cost-effective national responses to invasive species. Greater investments in improved technology and management practices would be more than repaid by reduced damages from current and future invasive species. The Ecological Society of America is committed to assist all levels of government and provide scientific advice to improve all aspects of invasive-species management.

No abstract

Management of nonindigenous species is a crucial aspect of maintaining native biodiversity and normal ecosystem functions. We attempt to guide researchers in developing projects that will be of use to conservation practitioners, tangibly improving applied conservation measures. We advocate a directed approach for conservation research to aid in prioritizing nonindigenous species for intervention by resource managers. This approach includes outlining what needs to be known to make such relative judgments about the impacts of nonindigenous species and the most promising methods by which to obtain such information. We also address active measures that should be taken once priorities have been set, highlighting the roles of risk assessment and research in improving control efforts. Ultimately, a better match between research and practical conservation needs should result in more effective reduction of the effects of nonindigenous species on native species. Dirección de la Investigación para Reducir los Efectos de Especies ExóticasResumen: El manejo de especies exóticas es un aspecto crucial para el mantenimiento de la biodiversidad nativa y de las funciones normales de un ecosistema. Intentamos guiar a los investigadores para desarrollar proyectos que serían de uso para los practicantes de la conservación, mejorando tangiblemente las medidas de conservación aplicada. Apoyamos una estrategia dirigida de investigación para la conservación para ayudar a priorizar especies exóticas para la intervención de los manejadores de recursos. Esta estrategia incluye delinear lo que se necesita saber para hacer juicios relativos sobre los impactos de especies exóticas y los métodos más promisorios para obtener dicha información. También nos abocamos a las medidas activas que deberían ser tomadas una vez que se establezcan las prioridades, subrayando los papeles de la evaluación de riesgo y la investigación para mejorar los esfuerzos de control. A fin de cuentas, la mejor conjun- Byers et al. Reducing Invader Impact 631 ción de la investigación con las necesidades de conservación práctica debe resultar en una reducción más efectiva de los efectos de las especies exóticas sobre las especies nativas.

Preamble: Executive Order (EO) 13112—defines an invasive species as “an alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.” In the Executive Summary of the National Invasive Species Management Plan (NISMP) the term invasive species is further clarified and defined as “a species that is non-native to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.” To provide guidance for the development and implementation of the NISMP, the National Invasive Species Council (NISC) and the Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC) adopted a set of principles outlined in Appendix 6 of the NISMP. Guiding Principle #1 provides additional context for defining the term invasive species and states “many alien species are non-invasive and support human livelihoods or a preferred quality of life.”