1
|
Kumschick S, Bertolino S, Blackburn TM, Brundu G, Costello KE, de Groot M, Evans T, Gallardo B, Genovesi P, Govender T, Jeschke JM, Lapin K, Measey J, Novoa A, Nunes AL, Probert AF, Pyšek P, Preda C, Rabitsch W, Roy HE, Smith KG, Tricarico E, Vilà M, Vimercati G, Bacher S. Using the IUCN Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa to inform decision-making. Conserv Biol 2024; 38:e14214. [PMID: 38051018 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
The Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) is an important tool for biological invasion policy and management and has been adopted as an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) standard to measure the severity of environmental impacts caused by organisms living outside their native ranges. EICAT has already been incorporated into some national and local decision-making procedures, making it a particularly relevant resource for addressing the impact of non-native species. Recently, some of the underlying conceptual principles of EICAT, particularly those related to the use of the precautionary approach, have been challenged. Although still relatively new, guidelines for the application and interpretation of EICAT will be periodically revisited by the IUCN community, based on scientific evidence, to improve the process. Some of the criticisms recently raised are based on subjectively selected assumptions that cannot be generalized and may harm global efforts to manage biological invasions. EICAT adopts a precautionary principle by considering a species' impact history elsewhere because some taxa have traits that can make them inherently more harmful. Furthermore, non-native species are often important drivers of biodiversity loss even in the presence of other pressures. Ignoring the precautionary principle when tackling the impacts of non-native species has led to devastating consequences for human well-being, biodiversity, and ecosystems, as well as poor management outcomes, and thus to significant economic costs. EICAT is a relevant tool because it supports prioritization and management of non-native species and meeting and monitoring progress toward the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) Target 6.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Kumschick
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Kirstenbosch Research Centre, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sandro Bertolino
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Tim M Blackburn
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Giuseppe Brundu
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Centre (NBFC), Palermo, Italy
| | - Katie E Costello
- Biodiversity Assessment and Knowledge Team, Science and Data Centre, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Thomas Evans
- Ecologie Systématique et Evolution, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | | | - Piero Genovesi
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- ISPRA, Rome, Italy
- IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group, Roma, Italy
| | - Tanushri Govender
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Jonathan M Jeschke
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Lapin
- Austrian Research Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape (BFW), Vienna, Austria
| | - John Measey
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Institute for Biodiversity, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Ana Novoa
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czech Republic
| | - Ana L Nunes
- Biodiversity Assessment and Knowledge Team, Science and Data Centre, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Cambridge, UK
| | - Anna F Probert
- Zoology Discipline, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Petr Pyšek
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czech Republic
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Cristina Preda
- Department of Natural Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanta, Constanta, Romania
| | | | - Helen E Roy
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, UK
| | - Kevin G Smith
- Biodiversity Assessment and Knowledge Team, Science and Data Centre, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Cambridge, UK
| | - Elena Tricarico
- National Biodiversity Future Centre (NBFC), Palermo, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Montserrat Vilà
- Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC) and Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | | | - Sven Bacher
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|