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Risk management to prioritise the eradication of new and emerging invasive non-native species

Lookup NU author(s): Olaf Booy, Professor Aileen MillORCiD, Dr Niall Moore, Dr Pete Robertson, Dr Alastair Ward

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

Robust tools are needed to prioritise the management of invasive non-native species (INNS). Risk assessment is commonly used to prioritise INNS, but fails to take into account the feasibility of management. Risk management provides a structured evaluation of management options, but has received little attention to date. We present a risk management scheme to assess the feasibility of eradicating INNS that can be used, in conjunction with existing risk assessment schemes, to support prioritisation. The Non-Native Risk Management scheme (NNRM) can be applied to any predefined area and any taxa. It uses semi-quantitative response and confidence scores to assess seven key criteria: Effectiveness, Practicality, Cost, Impact, Acceptability, Window of opportunity and Likelihood of re-invasion. Scores are elicited using expert judgement, supported by available evidence, and consensus-building methods. We applied the NNRM to forty-one INNS that threaten Great Britain (GB). Thirty-three experts provided scores, with overall feasibility of eradication assessed as ‘very high’ (8 species), ‘high’ (6), ‘medium’ (8), ‘low’ (10) and ‘very low’ (9). The feasibility of eradicating terrestrial species was higher than aquatic species. Lotic freshwater and marine species scored particularly low. Combining risk management and existing risk assessment scores identified six established species as priorities for eradication. A further six species that are not yet established were identified as priorities for eradication on arrival as part of contingency planning.The NNRM is one of the first INNS risk management schemes that can be used with existing risk assessments to prioritise INNS eradication in any area.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Booy O, Mill A, Roy H, Hiley A, Moore N, Robertson P, Baker S, Brazier M, Bue M, Bullock R, Campbell S, Eyre D, Foster J, Hatton-Ellis M, Long J, Macadam C, Morrison-Bell C, Mumford J, Newman J, Parrott D, Payne R, Renals T, Rodgers E, Spencer M, Stebbing P, Sutton-Croft M, Walker K, Ward A, Whittaker S, Wyn G

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Biological Invasions

Year: 2017

Volume: 19

Issue: 8

Pages: 2401-2417

Print publication date: 01/08/2017

Online publication date: 15/05/2017

Acceptance date: 28/04/2017

Date deposited: 17/05/2017

ISSN (print): 1387-3547

ISSN (electronic): 1573-1464

Publisher: Springer

URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-017-1451-z

DOI: 10.1007/s10530-017-1451-z


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
EC04932

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