Biodiversity loss: 37,000 ‘alien species’ introduced by human activities, says report

Source: The post is based on the article “Biodiversity loss: 37,000 ‘alien species’ introduced by human activities, says report” published in Indian Express on 6th September 2023

What is the News?

Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has released a publication titled “Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and their Control’’.

What are Invasive Alien species?

Source: IPBES

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.

What are the key findings of IPBES report on Invasive Alien species?

Number of Introduced Alien Species: There are 37,000 alien species introduced by human activities worldwide.

– Over 3,500 of these alien species pose significant global threats to nature, economy, food security, and human health.

Most widespread invasive alien species: The water hyacinth is the world’s most widespread invasive alien species on land. 

– Lantana, a flowering shrub and the black rat are the second and third most widespread globally. The brown rat and the house mouse are also widespread invasive alien species.

Not all alien invasive species have negative impacts: Not all alien species establish and spread with negative impacts on biodiversity, local ecosystems and species but a significant proportion do.

– About 6% of alien plants; 22% of alien invertebrates; 14% of alien vertebrates; and 11% of alien microbes known to be invasive pose major risks to nature and to people.

– Nearly 80% of the documented impacts of invasive species on nature’s contribution to people are negative.

What is the impact of Invasive Alien species?

Impact on Biodiversity: Invasive alien species are a major driver of biodiversity loss, contributing to 60% of global plant and animal extinctions.

– They are one of the five major direct drivers of biodiversity loss globally alongside land and sea-use change, direct exploitation of organisms, climate change, and pollution. 

Economic Impact: The annual costs of invasive alien species have at least quadrupled every decade since 1970, as global trade and human travel increased.In 2019, the global economic cost of invasive alien species exceeded $423 billion annually.

Impact on Food Supply: The reduction of food supply is the most common impact of alien invasive species.For example, the European shore crab impacting commercial shellfish beds in New England or the Caribbean false mussel damaging locally important fishery resources in Kerala, by wiping out native clams and oysters.

Spreads Diseases: Invasive alien species like Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegyptii spread diseases such as malaria, Zika and West Nile Fever.

Amplify impact of Climate Change: Invasive alien species can also amplify the impacts of climate change.For example, invasive alien plants, especially trees and grasses, can sometimes be highly flammable and promote more intense fires.

What has been the response of countries against Invasive Alien species?

Most countries (80%) have included targets related to managing invasive alien species in their national biodiversity plans.

However, only 17% specifically address the issue in national legislation.Nearly half of all countries (45%) do not invest in management of biological invasions.

Recently, countries have  agreed to reduce the rate of introduction and establishment of invasive alien species by at least 50% by 2030 under Target 6 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.