Global slowdown in the rate of invasive alien species establishment
The number of species introduced outside of their historical ranges by human activity continues to rise. A subset of these species establishes, form self-sustaining populations, and some (invasive alien species) go on to cause substantial harm to biodiversity and ecosystems. Preventing new invasive alien species from establishing is the key focus of interventions, because post-establishment…
A slowdown in the rate of invasive alien species establishing themselves in new habitats has been observed globally over the past five decades, a new study reveals. The research, conducted using advanced data analysis techniques, indicates a 35% decline in the establishment of new invasive alien species. This reduction spans across geographically diverse countries, suggesting a consistent trend rather than localized variations.
The findings are significant as they provide a baseline for monitoring progress towards the invasive alien species target of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. More importantly, the study suggests that policy efforts and investments over recent decades to prevent the entry and establishment of invasive alien species have been effective.
This positive impact indicates that such measures can make a difference in curbing the spread of these species, which pose substantial threats to biodiversity and ecosystems.
Written by urgent.news from bioRxiv's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
