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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
A Unified Classification of Alien Species Based on the Magnitude of their Environmental Impacts
PLoS Biology, Volume 12, No. 5, Article e1001850, Year 2014
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Description
Species moved by human activities beyond the limits of their native geographic ranges into areas in which they do not naturally occur (termed aliens) can cause a broad range of significant changes to recipient ecosystems; however, their impacts vary greatly across species and the ecosystems into which they are introduced. There is therefore a critical need for a standardised method to evaluate, compare, and eventually predict the magnitudes of these different impacts. Here, we propose a straightforward system for classifying alien species according to the magnitude of their environmental impacts, based on the mechanisms of impact used to code species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Global Invasive Species Database, which are presented here for the first time. The classification system uses five semi-quantitative scenarios describing impacts under each mechanism to assign species to different levels of impact-ranging from Minimal to Massive-with assignment corresponding to the highest level of deleterious impact associated with any of the mechanisms. The scheme also includes categories for species that are Not Evaluated, have No Alien Population, or are Data Deficient, and a method for assigning uncertainty to all the classifications. We show how this classification system is applicable at different levels of ecological complexity and different spatial and temporal scales, and embraces existing impact metrics. In fact, the scheme is analogous to the already widely adopted and accepted Red List approach to categorising extinction risk, and so could conceivably be readily integrated with existing practices and policies in many regions. © 2014 Blackburn et al.
Available Materials
https://efashare.b-cdn.net/share/pmc/articles/PMC4011680/bin/pbio.1001850.s001.tif
https://efashare.b-cdn.net/share/pmc/articles/PMC4011680/bin/pbio.1001850.s002.tif
https://efashare.b-cdn.net/share/pmc/articles/PMC4011680/bin/pbio.1001850.s003.docx
https://efashare.b-cdn.net/share/pmc/articles/PMC4011680/bin/pbio.1001850.s004.docx
https://efashare.b-cdn.net/share/pmc/articles/PMC4011680/bin/pbio.1001850.s005.docx
https://efashare.b-cdn.net/share/pmc/articles/PMC4011680/bin/pbio.1001850.s006.docx
Authors & Co-Authors
Blackburn, Tim M.
United Kingdom, London
Zoological Society of London Institute of Zoology
Saudi Arabia, Riyadh
King Saud University
Australia, Adelaide
The University of Adelaide
Essl, Franz
Austria, Vienna
Universität Wien
Evans, Thomas G.
United Kingdom, London
Imperial College London
Hulme, Philip E.
New Zealand, Lincoln
Lincoln University
Jeschke, Jonathan M.
Germany, Munich
Technische Universität München
Kühn, Ingolf
Germany, Leipzig
Helmholtz Zentrum Für Umweltforschung
Germany, Leipzig
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research Idiv Halle-jena-leipzig
Kumschick, Sabrina
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
Marková, Zuzana
Czech Republic, Pruhonice
Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Czech Republic, Prague
Charles University
Mrugała, Agata
Czech Republic, Prague
Charles University
Nentwig, Wolfgang M.
Switzerland, Bern
University of Bern
Pergl, Jan
Czech Republic, Pruhonice
Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Pyšek, Petr
Czech Republic, Pruhonice
Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Czech Republic, Prague
Charles University
Rabitsch, Wolfgang Bernhard
Austria, Vienna
Environment Agency Austria
Ricciardi, Anthony
Canada, Montreal
Université Mcgill
Richardson, David M.
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
Sendek, Agnieszka
Germany, Leipzig
Helmholtz Zentrum Für Umweltforschung
Vilà, Montserrat
Spain, Sevilla
Csic - Estación Biologica de Doñana
Wilson, John R.
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
South Africa, Pretoria
South African National Biodiversity Institute
Winter, Marten
Germany, Leipzig
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research Idiv Halle-jena-leipzig
Genovesi, Piero
Italy, Rome
Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research
Bacher, Sven
Switzerland, Fribourg
University of Fribourg
Statistics
Citations: 736
Authors: 21
Affiliations: 19
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1371/journal.pbio.1001850
ISSN:
15449173
e-ISSN:
15457885
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Quantitative