Invasions are complex and therefore predictions are difficult. Vojtěch Jarošík and Petr Pyšek on the issue of invasion biology ****************************************************************************************** * Invasions are complex and therefore predictions are difficult. Vojtěch Jarošík and Petr issue of invasion biology ****************************************************************************************** For several years, a group of researchers from the Department of Ecology of the Charles Un Faculty of Science and the Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Rep collaborating within the DAISIE international research project studying biological invasio which has delivered many important findings and implications can also become a unique tool protection on a global scale. On the Czech part, the project leaders are Prof. RNDr. Vojtě deputy head of the Department of Ecology of the Charles University Faculty of Science, and Pyšek, CSc. from the Institute of Botany of the ASCR, deputy director and head of the Depa of Invasive Plants. He is currently working in New Zealand because “New Zealand is the pro the invasion biologist…” What makes the DAISIE European project unique and how many countries and research centres How was the project divided? The DAISIE project was unique in that it gathered all the existing information on biologic in Europe into one database. We are gradually analysing it and learning a lot about invasi otherwise be impossible to learn only by studying invasions in individual regions. It was also unique in that it covered the complete range of invasive organisms – plants, f invertebrates as well as vertebrates in all types of environments – on land, in freshwater ecosystems. It required the cooperation of many people who until then had worked separatel their respective specializations. Therefore many valuable contacts were forged and the coo continued even after the project concluded. Eighteen institutions from 15 countries took p Czech partner being the Institute of Botany of the ASCR. We had a number of collaborators Europe, so the monograph summarizing the outcomes of the project has almost 200 authors. T part of the project was the creation of a database; other parts included writing detailed 100 most significant invasive species in Europe and monitoring their occurrence. Another o aforementioned monograph and a database of experts on invasions. Data analyses and ensuing scientific journals were another important part. From left to right: Prof. RNDr. Petr Pyšek, CSc., the Institute of Botany of the ASCR, hea of the Department of Invasion Ecology, Prof. RNDr. Vojtěch Jaroších, CSc., deputy head of the Department of Ecology of the Charles University Faculty of Science What are the outcomes of the project and how will it affect the approach to environment pr Europe and worldwide? Thanks to DAISIE we now know that there are about 11,000 non-indigenous organisms in Europ invasion continues, even accelerates. Even though most of them aren’t harmful in any way, which is, very much affects all types of Europe’s ecosystems. In one paper we summarized t and economic consequences of invasions and showed that the level of contamination of indiv can be very well described by the level of their economy. DAISIE can serve as a model for other parts of the world because the problem of invasions is really global and needs to be international level. The outcomes of DAISIE have served as a scientific base during the pr European strategy for tackling invasive species. Do biological invasions of non-indigenous plants and animals have any positive aspects, to Definitely, even though we should use the word “introduction” rather than invasion in this Humankind is dependent on non-indigenous flora and fauna. Take for example food production crops in our country are not native. But there is little positive to the invasion itself, proliferation. Can you imagine different parts of the world without the introduced non-indigenous species been such a time or would anything like that be even possible? Our countryside was last free from non-native species before the start of the Neolithic Er perhaps clear that no one can imagine a return to such a state, but it’s not the point in After all, the boundaries of occurrence of plants and animals always changed and species s habitats. It became a problem when these processes assumed large dimensions and great inte to humans. The aim is not to eradicate all non-native species; we would miss many of them used to them and perceive them as inherent to our ecosystems. It is necessary to define th and focus on those species which do cause unwanted changes – they squeeze out the native s the landscape, change the basic functions of ecosystems, threaten human health etc. And as species, we can live with them quite well. It is also important to create an efficient sys introduction to a bare minimum (there are a number of possibilities in controlling the mov goods), to concentrate on the dangerous routes of introduction, to monitor the occurrence and respond quickly in the case of a dangerous species, to have first-rate, well-sorted an information, to raise awareness among the population. In the case of invasions, just like example, prevention is more efficient and cheaper than treatment. Is it possible to calculate the losses caused by the invasive species? How much money do E spend on fighting existing invasions? Is the introduction of non-indigenous species more c case of plant or animal species? There are a large number of estimates as to how much invasion is costing us. One frequentl estimated that at the turn of the millennium invasions swallowed five percent of the gross every year. What is perhaps most interesting for us is the recent estimate, partly based o that invasions are costing the EU almost 13 billion euro each year. And that is certainly estimate because for the United Kingdom alone the estimate is 1.7 billion pounds. Of cours estimates differ according to the method of calculation and quality of data but whether th accurate or not, no doubt huge amounts are in question. And cultural, irreversible losses extinction of a certain species are usually not included because there is in fact no way o in numbers. And we cannot say that either plant or animal invasions are more serious; it d specific species, region and conditions. What affects the introduction of invasion species more: travelling and transport or climat Most definitely travelling and transport but mainly trade and economic factors in general. creates more favourable conditions for certain specific species but it is probable that ot because the new conditions will not suit them. But regarding the potential influence of cl invasions we are still in the realm of guesswork because invasions are complex, they depen factors and therefore predictions are difficult. Thank you for talking to i-Forum. (Marie Kohoutová)