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  • Biodiversity Action Plan Report
  • Biodiversity Baseline report
  • Streamlining European Biodiversity Indicators
  • State of the Environment Report
  • The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity
 

Folder Invasive species

 

 

Invasive alien species (IAS) are non-native species whose introduction and/or spread outside their natural past or present ranges pose a threat to biodiversity. They occur in all major groups, including animals, plants, fungi and micro-organisms, and are considered at least on islands to be the second most important reason for biodiversity loss worldwide (after direct habitat loss or destruction) (Shine et al., 2009).

About 10 000 alien species have been registered in Europe. Some of these species were introduced on purpose and remain economically important. However, a proportion of the alien species established cause significant damage to native biodiversity and can be classified as invasive alien species according to the Convention on Biological Diversity (EEA, 2009).

Invasive species can cause great damage to native species by competing with them for food, eating them, spreading diseases, causing genetic changes through inter-breeding with them and disrupting various aspects of the food web and the physical environment (EEA, 2010b).

There is an upward trend in the establishment of new species, with impacts on biodiversity expected to increase because of the growing number of species involved, and an increasing vulnerability of ecosystems to invasions, which results from other pressures such as habitat loss, degradation, fragmentation, over-exploitation and climate change (EEA, 2009).

Globalization, particularly increased trade and tourism, have resulted in an upsurge in the number and type of alien species arriving in Europe. Marine and coastal areas are being drastically affected as a result of increased shipping and the building of canals between isolated seas. In order to gain better understanding of invasive alien species and their impact on European biodiversity a list of the worst invasive alien species threatening biodiversity in Europe has been established. The list currently contains 163 species or species groups (EEA, 2010).

 

Further reading:

  • EEA technical report: Towards an early warning and information system for invasive alien species (IAS)
    threatening biodiversity in Europe
  • IEEP report: Assessment to support continued development of the EU Strategy to combat invasive alien species
  • EU Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Report:
    a) Community report on objective 5
    b) Country profiles on objective 5

 

selected links

European Commission: The EU stragey on Invasive Alien Species

Indicator: SEBI 2010 Invasive alien species in Europe

Information Europe: Delivering Alien Invasive Species Inventories for Europe - DAISIE

Information Europe: European Network on Invasive Alien Species - NOBANIS

Information Global: Global Invasive Species Information Network- GISIN

Database Global: Global Invasive Species Database - GISD