Invasive Species

April 13, 2024

I came across an article in my Edge browser on invasive species by Bryan Walsh that had first been published seven months ago in the Future Perfect newsletter.  The Florida Everglades is ground zero for invasive species in the US due to its climate and proximity to the vast international trade of Miami.  Many of these invasive species arrived as exotic pets before escaping or being released into the Everglades where they have established in large numbers.  While efforts to repel invasive species are underway around the US and the world it is an uphill battle according to a new report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).  The IPBES is over 140 countries that provides scientific assessments about biodiversity and reports more than 3,500 harmful invasive plants and animals cost the global economy more than US$423 billion a year.  Those costs have at least quadrupled each decade since 1970 and are projected to continue to grow as globalization and climate change explode the spread of invasive species.

When I looked online, I found an invasive species is an introduced species that overpopulates and adversely affects habitats and bioregions by causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage.  Since the 20th century, invasive species have become a serious threat worldwide.  Invasion of long-established ecosystems by organisms is a natural phenomenon, but human transmitted spread has greatly increased the rate, scale, and range of invasion.  Humans have always been accidental and deliberate dispersal agents, but this accelerated in the Age of Discovery (15th to 17th century) and again with the rise of international trade during the modern era.  US$1.4 trillion is spent annually to manage and control invasive species globally.  The resulting ecological degradation by invasive species can alter resources the ecosystems provide.  Additional costs incur to control the spread of biological invasion, to mitigate further impacts, and to restore the existing ecosystems.  The damage caused by 79 invasive species in the US between 1906 and 1991 is estimated at US$120 billion.

The IPBES report states the effects of invasive species include native extinctions, and invasive species were a major factor in 60% of recorded plant and animal extinctions, and the sole reason in 16%.  While invasive species damage humans and our environment, most are the result of human involvement.  Species have always moved to new habitats, but global trade and travel have given them the ability to move farther and faster.  The report advocates an aggressive approach to invasive species prevention and control, including border biosecurity and strictly enforced import controls.  Governments are also spending millions to try to control and eradicate invasive species.  However, in our globalized world we may need to rethink our concept of “invasive species.”  The idea of invasive species has a nativist bias that is more grounded in economic concerns than ecological ones, and the effort to “eradicate” them is unrealistic.  The idea that there should be a proper place for every species is one that has not made sense for a long time, and simply dividing every species into “native” and “alien” is a false dichotomy in the geological epoch dating from the commencement of significant human impact (Anthropocene). 

THOUGHTS:  There’s another invasive species that has spread to nearly every corner of the world.  As its numbers grew from thousands to millions to billions it altered the environment along the way, literally remaking the world in its own image.  Research has shown a correlation between the arrival of humans and the mass extinction of other species.  Ecosystems are interconnected and need to be protected in their entirety.  As the Alpha species humans have both rewards and responsibilities.  If we ignore the responsibilities it may result in the Anthropocene as the end of the human species.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.