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Seabird biomass was particularly important for terrestrial and near-shore subsidies and enhancing fish biomass, while seabird diversity was associated with nutrient subsidies further offshore. The positive effects of diversity were likely driven by high functional complementarity among seabird species in traits related to nutrient storage and provisioning. However, introduced rats and non-native vegetation reduced seabird biomass and diversity, with rats having a stronger effect on biomass and vegetation having a stronger effect on diversity.

Benkwitt, C.E

Carr, P

Graham, N.A.J

Wilson, S.K

2022

InvaCost, a Public Database of the Economic Costs of Biological Invasions Worldwide

Biological invasions are responsible for tremendous impacts globally, including huge economic losses and management expenditures. Efficiently mitigating this major driver of global change requires the improvement of public awareness and policy regarding its substantial impacts on our socio-ecosystems. One option to contribute to this overall objective is to inform people on the economic costs linked to these impacts; however, until now, a reliable synthesis of invasion costs has never been produced at a global scale. Here, we introduce InvaCost as the most up-to-date, comprehensive, harmonised and robust compilation and description of economic cost estimates associated with biological invasions worldwide. We have developed a systematic, standardised methodology to collect information from peer-reviewed articles and grey literature, while ensuring data validity and method repeatability for further transparent inputs. Our manuscript presents the methodology and tools used to build and populate this living and publicly available database. InvaCost provides an essential basis (2419 cost estimates currently compiled) for worldwide research, management efforts and, ultimately, for datadriven and evidence-based policymaking.

Assailly, C.

Courchamp, F.

Diagne, C.

Gozlan, R. E.

Jarić, I.

Jourdain, F.

Leroy, B.

Nuninger, L.

Roiz, D.

Vaissière, A.-C.

2020

Global Economic Costs of Aquatic Invasive Alien Species

Much research effort has been invested in understanding ecological impacts of invasive alien species (IAS) across ecosystems and taxonomic groups, but empirical studies about economic effects lack synthesis. Using a comprehensive global database, we determine patterns and trends in economic costs of aquatic IAS by examining: (i) the distribution of these costs across taxa, geographic regions, and cost types; (ii) the temporal dynamics of global costs; and (iii) knowledge gaps, especially compared to terrestrial IAS. Based on the costs recorded from the existing literature, the global cost of aquatic IAS conservatively summed to US$345 billion, with the majority attributed to invertebrates (62%), followed by vertebrates (28%), then plants (6%). The largest costs were reported in North America (48%) and Asia (13%) and were principally a result of resource damages (74%); only 6% of recorded costs were from management. The magnitude and number of reported costs were highest in the United States of America and for semi-aquatic taxa. Many countries and known aquatic alien species had no reported costs, especially in Africa and Asia. Accordingly, a network analysis revealed limited connectivity among countries, indicating disparate cost reporting. Aquatic IAS costs have increased in recent decades by several orders of magnitude, reaching at least US$23 billion in 2020. Costs are likely considerably underrepresented compared to terrestrial IAS; only 5% of reported costs were from aquatic species, despite 26% of known invaders being aquatic. Additionally, only 1% of aquatic invasion costs were from marine species. Costs of aquatic IAS are thus substantial, but likely underreported. Costs have increased over time and are expected to continue rising with future invasions. We urge increased and improved cost reporting by managers, practitioners and researchers to reduce knowledge gaps. Few costs are proactive investments; increased management spending is urgently needed to prevent and limit current and future aquatic IAS damages.

Ahmed, Danish A.

Angulo, Elena

Briski, Elizabeta

Capinha, César

Catford, Jane A.

Cuthbert, Ross N.

Dalu, Tatenda

Diagne, Christophe

Essl, Franz

Gozlan, Rodolphe E.

Leroy, Boris

Pattison, Zarah

Taylor, Nigel G.

Verbrugge, Laura

2021

SPREP Webinar series | Rats, Reefs and Resilience (full session)

SPREP Publications, Climate Change Resilience, Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

The Battler Lounge webinar series talks about the link between rats, seabirds, ecosystems and reef resilience in the Pacific.

Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS)

2021

Biological Invasion Costs Reveal Insufficient Proactive Management Worldwide

The global increase in biological invasions is placing growing pressure on the management of ecological and economic systems. However, the effectiveness of current management expenditure is difficult to assess due to a lack of standardised measurement across spatial, taxonomic and temporal scales. Furthermore, there is no quantification of the spending difference between pre-invasion (e.g. prevention) and post-invasion (e.g. control) stages, although preventative measures are considered to be the most cost-effective. Here, we use a comprehensive database of invasive alien species economic costs (InvaCost) to synthesise and model the global management costs of biological invasions, in order to provide a better understanding of the stage at which these expenditures occur.

Andrew M. Kramer

Anna Turbelin

Christophe Diagne

Céline Albert

Danish A. Ahmed

Elizabeta Briski

Emma J. Hudgins

Franck Courchamp

Franz Essl

Melina Kourantidou

Natalia Kirichenko

Phillip J. Haubrock

Rodolphe E. Gozlan

Ross N. Cuthbert

Thomas W. Bodey

2022

Feasibility Assessment for the Removal of Pacific Rats (Rattus exulans) from Late Island. Reports 1 & 2

Biodiversity increases ecosystem functions despite multiple stressors on coral reefs.

Bonham, J.

Griffiths, R.

Island Conservation

2014

Positive relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) highlight the importance of conserving biodiversity to maintain key ecosystem functions and associated services. Although natural systems are rapidly losing biodiversity due to numerous of human-caused stressors, our understanding of how multiple stressors influence the BEF relationships comes largely from small experimental studies.

Benkwitt, C E.

Graham, NAJ

Wilson, S K.

2020

Invasive Insects: Risks and Pathways Project

Australia cant afford to allow in any more insect colonists like red imported fire ants, electric ants, browsing ants, yellow crazy ants, Argentine ants, African big-headed ants, Asian honeybees, large earth bumblebees and German wasps. These invaders are costing both the Australian environment and economy dearly. Hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent on Australia-wide eradications of red fire ants, electric ants and browsing ants because of their potential for devastating harm to wildlife and impacts on people. The others have spread too far to remove, so are here in perpetuity as a threat to biodiversity, human amenity and the economy, and a burden for future generations to manage. Given the difficulties and costliness of eradicating or controlling invasive insects, one over-riding priority for Australian biosecurity must be to prevent more harmful species arriving and establishing. To do this, biosecurity authorities need to know which insects overseas (an estimated 46 million species) represent the greatest invasive risks for our country and how they are likely to arrive here. Biosecurity authorities already know which insects are the prevention priorities for agriculture, but there is no such list covering insects that could harm the Australian environment.

McGeoch, M. A.

2020

Little Giants - little fire ants (wasnannia auropunctata) : Vanuatu

Video of Little Fire Ant, Wasmania auropunctata, Regional Alian Invasive Species Project funded by Global Environmental Facility - Pacific Alliance for education of the problems they cause to the community; instructions on eradication by baiting of Little Fire Ants on Vanuatu described and recommendation of best investiment and management for alien invasive species is to have quarantine and biosecurity systems in place with trained personnel and resources to prevent the spread of alien invasive species coming into the country and spreading within the country. Acknowledgements to Global Environmental Facility - Pacific Alliance for Sustainability, United Nations Environment Program, SPREP, Vanuatu Department of Environment, Vanuatu Department of Biosecurity, Vanuatu Environmental Protection and Conservation Department, Vanuatu Agriculture Department, Vanuatu Forestry Department, Vanuatu Land Department, Live and Learn Education, Hawaii Ant Laboratory - Casper Vanderwounde, Talua Theological College, Vanuatu - Mango Station, Vanuatu - Solway Community, Vanuatu - Pepsi Area, Vanuatu - Lavusvatu community, Vanuatu - Freswater 1 area, Vanuatu - Hollen area, Vanuatu - No. 2 Lagoon area

Simeon, Alain

2015

Costs and bene? ts for biodiversity following rat and cat eradication on Te Hauturu-o-Toi/Little Barrier Island