Developing a list of invasive alien species likely to threaten biodiversity and ecosystems in the European Union. (12th December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Roy, Helen E.; Bacher, Sven; Essl, Franz; Adriaens, Tim; Aldridge, David C.; Bishop, John D. D.; Blackburn, Tim M.; Branquart, Etienne; Brodie, Juliet; Carboneras, Carles; Cottier-Cook, Elizabeth J.; Copp, Gordon H.; Dean, Hannah J.; Eilenberg, Jørgen; Gallardo, Belinda; Garcia, Mariana; García‐Berthou, Emili; Genovesi, Piero; Hulme, Philip E.; Kenis, Marc; Kerckhof, Francis; Kettunen, Marianne; Minchin, Dan; Nentwig, Wolfgang; Nieto, Ana; Pergl, Jan; Pescott, Oliver L.; M. Peyton, Jodey; Preda, Cristina; Roques, Alain; Rorke, Steph L.; Scalera, Riccardo; Schindler, Stefan; Schönrogge, Karsten; Sewell, Jack; Solarz, Wojciech; Stewart, Alan J. A.; Tricarico, Elena; Vanderhoeven, Sonia; van der Velde, Gerard; Vilà, Montserrat; Wood, Christine A.; Zenetos, Argyro; Rabitsch, Wolfgang;
• Is Part Of: Global change biology. Volume 25:Number 3(2019)
• Page Start: 1032
• Page End: 1048
• Publication Date: 2018-12-12
• Subjects: biological invasions -- consensus approach -- environmental policy -- impacts -- introductions -- prioritization -- risk assessment; Climatic changes -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Troposphere -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Biodiversity conservation -- Periodicals; Eutrophication -- Periodicals; 551.5
• DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14527
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1354-1013

Abstract

Abstract: The European Union (EU) has recently published its first list of invasive alien species (IAS) of EU concern to which current legislation must apply. The list comprises species known to pose great threats to biodiversity and needs to be maintained and updated. Horizon scanning is seen as critical to identify the most threatening potential IAS that do not yet occur in Europe to be subsequently risk assessed for future listing. Accordingly, we present a systematic consensus horizon scanning procedure to derive a ranked list of potential IAS likely to arrive, establish, spread and have an impact on biodiversity in the region over the next decade. The approach is unique in the continental scale examined, the breadth of taxonomic groups and environments considered, and the methods and data sources used. International experts were brought together to address five broad thematic groups of potential IAS. For each thematic group the experts first independently assembled lists of potential IAS not yet established in the EU but potentially threatening biodiversity if introduced. Experts were asked to score the species within their thematic group for their separate likelihoods of i) arrival, ii) establishment, iii) spread, and iv) magnitude of the potential negative impact on biodiversity within the EU. Experts then convened for a 2‐day workshop applying consensus methods to compile a ranked list of potential IAS. From an initial working list of 329 species, a list of 66 species not yet established in the EU that were considered to be very high (8 species), high (40 species) or medium (18 species) risk species was derived. Here, we present these species highlighting the potential negative impacts and the most likely biogeographic regions to be affected by these potential IAS. Abstract : We identified 66 species, that are currently absent from the EU, which pose a very high, high or medium threat to biodiversity and ecosystems. The species span a range of functional groups, with primary producers being numerically dominant. Escape from confinement is the pathway considered to be the most likely route of introduction for many species, particularly among plants and vertebrates.