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What Are Invasive Alien Species

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23 views13 pages

What Are Invasive Alien Species

Uploaded by

pragyamaharjan2
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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WHAT ARE INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES?

 Invasive alien species are plants, animals, pathogens and other


organisms that are non-native to an ecosystem, and which may
cause economic or environmental harm or adversely affect
human health. In particular, they impact adversely upon
biodiversity, including decline or elimination of native species -
through competition, predation, or transmission of pathogens -
and the disruption of local ecosystems and ecosystem functions.
Invasive alien species, introduced and/or spread outside their natural habitats,
have affected native biodiversity in almost every ecosystem type on earth and are
one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. Since the 17th century, invasive alien
species have contributed to nearly 40% of all animal extinctions for which the
cause is known (CBD, 2006).
The problem continues to grow at great socio-economic, health and ecological cost
around the world. Invasive alien species exacerbate poverty and threaten
development through their impact on agriculture, forestry, fisheries and natural
systems, which are an important basis of peoples’ livelihoods in developing
countries. This damage is aggravated by climate change, pollution, habitat loss and
human-induced disturbance.
 Common invasive species traits include the following:
 Fast growth
 Rapid reproduction
 High dispersal ability
 Phenotype plasticity (the ability to alter growth form to suit current
conditions)
 Tolerance of a wide range of environmental conditions (Ecological
competence)
 Ability to live off of a wide range of food types (generalist)
 Association with humans
 Prior successful invasions
Impacts of Biological Invasion

 Invasive alien species have devastating impacts on native biota, causing decline or
even extinctions of native species, and negatively affecting ecosystems.
 IAS have a tremendous impact on the health of plants, animals and even humans
threatening lives and affecting food security and ecosystem health.
 Their negative impact on the economy costs countries billions of dollars in losses
to agricultural production and some trillion dollars of environmental cost
worldwide annually.
 The negative effects of invasive alien species on biodiversity can be intensified by
climate change, habitat destruction and pollution. Isolated ecosystems such as
islands are particularly affected.
Impacts of Biological Invasion……….

 Loss of biodiversity will have major consequences on human well-being. This includes the
decline of food diversity, leading to malnutrition, famine and disease, especially in
developing countries.
 Invasive alien species have since the 17th century contributed to nearly 40% of all animal
extinctions.
 80% of the threatened species in the Fynbos biome of South Africa are endangered due to
invasions by alien species.
 Invasive alien species can transform the structure and species composition of ecosystems
by dominating the ecosystems and repressing or excluding native species.
 Annual environmental losses caused by introduced pests in the United States, United
Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, India and Brazil have been calculated at over US$ 100
billion
Positive Impacts

In many countries and Islands, IAS have contributed to enrich their biodiversity. For example,
in Florida, about 25 percent of plant and animal groups are of alien origin. Similarly, in Hawaii
Islands, about 45 percent plant and 25 to 100 percent of species in various animal groups are
introduced (Schmitz and Simberloff, 1997). Many IAS have been introduced for their
economic and ornamental values usually for medicine, food, recreational purposes or
industrial purposes including habitat restoration and as biological control organism.
IAPs in Nepal

 Biological invasion, a major component of human-induced global environmental changes, is a


direct outcome of human movement and trade across continents. With globalization of trade
and human movement, the number of alien species has been increasing in all continents and
climatic regions.
 The negative impacts of biological invasion have been considered significant in countries
from under-developed to developed economy.
 In Nepal at least 179 alien plant species has established their self-replacing population (ie
naturalized), and among them 26 species, mostly native of tropical Americas, has been
reported to be invasive with negative impacts on environment including agriculture
production.
 Four of them (Lantana camara, Mikania micrantha, Chromolaena odorata and Eichhornia
crassipes) are among the 100 of the world’s worst invasive alien species.
IAPs in Nepal…….

 The number of invasive alien plant species (IAPS) is lower in western Nepal than in
central and eastern Nepal. Tarai, Siwalik and Middle Mountain (Mid Hill) regions harbor
high number of IAPS.
 A few species are also found in High Mountain while none of the IAPS has been reported
from High Himal.
 The number of IAPS decline with increasing elevation.
 Ageratina adenophora, Lantana camara, Chromolaena odorata and Mikania micrantha
are most problematic in forests and shrublands; Parthenium hysterophorus in grasslands
and residential areas; Ageratum houstonianum and Alternanthera philoxeroides in
agroecosystems; and Eichhornia crassipes in wetlands.
 The negative impacts of biological invasion appear to be increasing in Nepal but the
national policy and management responses seem inadequate.
 There is a need to prepare a National Strategy for the Management of Invasive Alien
Species to effectively harmonize sectoral and cross-sectoral programs for the timely
management of this emerging problem
Management of invasive alien plants

There are various means of managing invasive alien plants:

Mechanical control
This entails damaging or removing the plant by physical action. Different techniques could
be used, e.g. uprooting, felling, slashing, mowing, ringbarking or bark stripping. This control
option is only really feasible in sparse infestations or on small scale, and for controlling species
that do not coppice after cutting.

Chemical control
This involves the use of registered herbicides to kill the target weed.

Biological control
Biological control is the use of natural enemies to reduce the vigour or
reproductive potential of an invasive alien plant.
IAPs management in Nepal

It includes eradication of Myriophyllum aquaticum, prevention of Mikania micrantha and


Chromolaena odorata from being spread to western Nepal, inclusion of IAPs
management in community forestry programs and conservation management plans of
protected areas, invasion risk assessment of species before introduction, government
funding for education and research, strengthening biological control programs, and
regional collaboration through common management strategies.

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