Invasive species cause a lot of problems around the world. They make plants and animals disappear, make it harder to have enough food, and make environmental disasters worse. A new report supported by the United Nations found that this costs at least $423 billion every year.
Human actions, such as travel and global trade, are causing animals, plants, and other organisms to move to new areas faster than ever before. Scientists have observed that around 200 new species that are not native to an area are being discovered every year.
Out of the 37,000 alien species that have been brought to different parts of the world, 3,500 are harmful and pose a serious danger to the planet. They harm crops, kill native species, pollute water, spread diseases, and create conditions for devastating natural disasters.
Experts suggest that the worldwide economic impact has been extremely high, increasing by at least four times every ten years since 1970.
Ecologist Helen Roy, who helped create the UN report, says the number mentioned is a very low estimate and there are many more species at risk.
The scientists say that if nothing is done to stop them from spreading and causing harm, the number of invasive species worldwide will be 33% more in 2050 compared to 2005.
We understand that things are changing. We are aware that climate change is getting worse, we know that the way we use land and sea is also getting worse, so we expect that the problem with invasive alien species will also get worse.
Alien species are living things that humans have moved to new places. They can be plants, animals, or other organisms.
An invasive alien species is when it moves to a new area and causes problems for the plants, animals, and environment there, as well as for the people who live there.
Many things are happening where water hyacinths are blocking up lakes and rivers in Africa. Lion fish are affecting local fisheries in the Caribbean. On Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, the Giant African land snail is taking over villages.
However, brown tree snakes have killed all the birds on the Pacific island of Guam and the fast-spreading zebra mussel has taken over the Great Lakes in North America.
In other places, mosquitoes are carrying and spreading illnesses such as dengue, Zika, malaria, and West Nile Virus to different areas.
Peter Stoett, who is a co-author of the report and also the dean of the faculty of social sciences and humanities at Ontario Tech University, said that we should not ignore how big of an impact some alien invasive species have.
Invasive species spreading to different countries and continents is causing a big problem – it is leading to a loss of biodiversity. This means that the diverse range of plants, animals, and environments that we rely on are getting worse. The report also found that invasive species are responsible for 60% of all known global extinctions.
When a type of foreign plant or animal successfully settles in a new environment, it can cause major problems.
The dry non-native grasses and shrubs in Hawaii were a major factor in causing the dangerous Maui wildfire last month, which was one of the deadliest in recent US history.
Anibal Pauchard, a professor at Chile’s Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, stated that viewing biological invasions as someone else’s problem would be a very expensive mistake.
Even though different species cause problems in different areas, there are risks and challenges that affect people all over the world, regardless of their background or where they live. This includes even Antarctica.
In these pictures, you can see invasive species from different parts of the world.
Along with harmful species that take over new environments, other important causes of the decline of different species and plants include destroying land and water homes, using organisms excessively, climate change, and pollution.
The report stated that the climate crisis will make the problem of invasive species worse. This means that these species will spread and live in new areas more easily.
In addition to flammable invasive plants causing wildfires, climate change is allowing invasive species to move to new areas like mountains, deserts, and frozen tundra.
But we can still be optimistic. The scientists believe that people can prevent invasive species from spreading. What is most important is to focus on preventing problems, especially when it comes to marine systems, according to Stoett.
The report says that the best way to deal with dangers from invasive species is to stop them from coming into new places. This means that there are rules in place to control what is brought into a country, and there are systems in place to quickly recognize and deal with new species before they can settle and cause harm.
According to the report, getting rid of invasive species has been helpful in controlling them, especially on islands.
“One of the main points made in the report is that we can make significant progress in dealing with harmful species from other places,” said Stoett.
We need a specific and combined approach that considers the different countries and sectors involved in biosecurity, such as trade and transportation, human and plant health, and economic development. “This will greatly help nature and people in many ways. ”
Last year, governments from different countries agreed to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The purpose of this agreement is to decrease the number of invasive alien species introduced and established by at least 50% by the year 2030.
The scientists have been working on their discoveries for four years. There are 86 experts on the team. They want these discoveries to help reach the global goals.
Pauchard said that governments worldwide strongly require this evaluation to take action in order to lessen the enormous danger to biodiversity and people.