Alien futures: What is on the horizon for biological invasions?

Abstract

To collect and identify the issues that may affect the future global and local management of biological invasions in the next 20 to 50 years and provide guidance for the prioritisation of actions and policies responding to the management challenges of the future. Location Global MethodsWe used an open online survey to poll specialists and stakeholders from around the world as to their opinion on the three most important future issues both globally and at their respective local working level. ResultsThe 240 respondents identified 629 global issues that we categorised into topics. We summarised the highest rated topics into five broad thematic areas: (1) environmental change, particularly climate change, (2) the spread of species through trade, (3) public awareness, (4) the development of new technologies to enhance management, and (5) the need to strengthen policies. The respondents also identified 596 issues at their respective local working levels. Management, early detection, prevention and funding-related issues all ranked higher than at the global level. Our global audience of practitioners, policy makers and researchers also elicited topics not identified in horizon scanning exercises led by scientists including potential human health impacts, the need for better risk assessments and legislation, the role of human migration and water management. Main conclusionsThe topic areas identified in this horizon scan provide guidance where future policy priorities for invasive alien species should be set. First, to reduce the magnitude and speed of environmental change and its impacts on biological invasions; second, to restrict the movement of potentially invasive alien species via trade; third, to raise awareness with the general public and empower them to act; and finally, to invest in innovative technologies that can detect and mitigate adverse impacts of introduced species.

Non‐native species are a global issue for marine protected areas

“…Policy makers, practitioners, and scientists worldwide have recognized the importance of NNS research with respect to future NNS management (Dehnen-Schmutz et al 2018), and research also featured strongly in our survey as a link to identifying NNS already present and those of invasion concern. Research on NNS may be conducted in response to detection of NNS or vice versa; studies currently conducted by MPA practitioners were geared toward specific evaluations of the impacts of a known invader or were assessments of general biodiversity with subsequent documentation of the presence of NNS.…”

Non-indigenous Species in the Mediterranean Sea: Turning From Pest to Source by Developing the 8Rs Model, a New Paradigm in Pollution Mitigation

“…As information is readily accessible and new technologies are emerging on almost a daily basis, the science is rapidly evolving. There is a demonstrated need for awareness raising about NIS and their negative impacts, and for an understanding of the methods for their control (Dehnen-Schmutz et al, 2018). Even the CBD has identified the need to raise public awareness of IAS, which is seen as crucial to their successful management and any introduction and mitigation activities.…”

Potential Futures of Biological Invasions in South Africa

“…In considering what South Africa might look like 50 years from now we considered five main themes that have emerged from recent horizon-scanning exercises in invasion science (Caffrey et al 2014;Dehnen-Schmutz et al 2018;Ricciardi et al 2017): technological advances; the political socio-economic milieu; trade; the link to global change drivers; and potential evolutionary and ecological responses. We tried to envisage potential changes, and how these might influence biological invasions consistent with one of the long-term scenarios [excluding the collapse of civilisation scenario where the influence of catastrophic events on biological invasions would be irrelevant compared to the catastrophe itself] (Table 31.2).…”