Natural ecosystems are under siege by many harmful species of plants, animals and diseases. The impacts of invasive species are second only to habitat destruction as a cause of global biodiversity loss. The current environmental, economic, and health costs of invasive species could exceed $US138 billion per year, more than all other natural disasters combined. Notorious examples include:
Hundreds of new species from other countries are introduced intentionally or accidentally into the US each year. And many species originating in the US have been introduced into other parts of the world. This threat intensifies the need for scientists, managers, and the many stakeholders to rally together to build better systems for invasion prevention, improve early detection of invaders, track established invaders, and coordinate containment, control, and effective habitat restoration.
Viruses and Diseases
Viruses and diseases are some times controversially referred to as invasive species. Sometimes it's the vector or organism that carries and/or spreads the infection that is invasive or simply not native to a region. Click on the links in this sentence for more information about Avian Influenza / Bird Flu, or West Nile Virus.
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