What are Invasive species?

Find out more about invasive species and why they threaten our world.

Calendar of events

Workshops, conferences and events focusing on invasive species.

Websites and online databases

Search for websites and online databases about invasives species.

Ecology and Management of Invasive Alien Species: Management

Conclusion

The genes, species and ecosystems that make up the earth’s biological diversity are important because their loss and degradation diminishes nature. Species other than our own have a right to exist and to retain their place in the world. We do not know how to estimate which species are essential to ecosystem functioning, which are redundant, and which will be the next to flourish as the world changes. When we introduce a new species into an eco-system, the full impact is often not immediately apparent. Invasion by species such as Miconia calvescens can change entire habitats, making them unsuitable for the original native community.

Safeguarding the earth’s diversity is the best way to maintain our life support system. There is evidence to suggest that the biosphere acts as a self-regulating whole and that diverse systems may be more resilient. Island ecosystems, which have evolved in isolation often have relatively fewer plants, herbivores, carnivores and decomposers to maintain essential processes and are more vulnerable to invasion. On islands around the world species extinction is increasing at an unprecedented rate.

Useful initiatives, which contribute to better management practices and a reduced incidence of biological invasion, are being taken by communities all over the world. Invasive alien species are now a major focus of international conservation concern and the subject of cooperative international efforts, such as the Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP). As awareness grows, people and their communities are able to make informed choices that will have lasting effects on their descendants. We hope that, by raising general awareness, the risks of further harmful invasions will be reduced in future.