What are the economic costs of biological invasions? A complex topic requiring international and interdisciplinary expertise

Biological invasions can cause substantial economic losses and expenses for management, as well as harm biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being. A comprehensive assessment of the economic costs of invasions is a challenging but essential prerequisite for efficient and sustainable management of invasive alien species. Indeed, these costs were shown to be inherently heterogeneous and complex to determine, and substantial knowledge gaps prevent a full understanding of their nature and distribution. Hence, the development of a still-missing global, standard framework for assessing and deciphering invasion costs is essential to identify effective management approaches and optimise legislation. The recent advent of the InvaCost database – the first comprehensive and harmonised compilation of the economic costs associated with biological invasions worldwide – offers unique opportunities to investigate these complex and diverse costs at different scales. Insights provided by such a dataset are likely to be greatest when a diverse range of experience and expertise are combined. For this purpose, an international and multidisciplinary workshop was held from 12th to 15th November 2019 near Paris (France) to launch several project papers based on the data available in InvaCost. Here, we highlight how the innovative research arising from this workshop offers a major step forward in invasion science. We collectively identified five core research opportunities that InvaCost can help to address: (i) decipher how existing costs of invasions are actually distributed in human society; (ii) bridge taxonomic and geographic gaps identified in the costs currently estimated; (iii) harmonise terminology and reporting of costs through a consensual and interdisciplinary framework; (iv) develop innovative methodological approaches to deal with cost estimations and assessments; and (v) provide cost-based information and tools for applied management of invasions. Moreover, we attribute part of the success of the workshop to its consideration of diversity, equity and societal engagement, which increased research efficiency, creativity and productivity. This workshop provides a strong foundation for substantially advancing our knowledge of invasion impacts, fosters the establishment of a dynamic collaborative network on the topic of invasion economics, and highlights new key features for future scientific meetings.

Download Full-text

The economic costs of biological invasions in Brazil: a first assessment

NeoBiota ◽

10.3897/neobiota.67.59185 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 67 ◽

pp. 349-374 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

José Ricardo Pires Adelino ◽

Gustavo Heringer ◽

Christophe Diagne ◽

Franck Courchamp ◽

Lucas Del Bianco Faria ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Invasions ◽

Alien Species ◽

Invasive Alien Species ◽

Global Environmental Change ◽

Economic Cost ◽

Well Being ◽

Ecological Impacts ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Economic Costs ◽

Economic Sectors

Biological invasions are one of the leading causes of global environmental change and their impacts can affect biodiversity, ecosystem services, human health and the economy. Yet, the understanding on the impacts of invasive alien species is still limited and mostly related to alien species outbreaks and losses in agricultural yield, followed by the understanding of the ecological impacts on natural systems. Notably, the economic impacts of biological invasions have rarely been quantified. Brazil has at least 1214 known alien species from which 460 are recognized as invasive alien species. Still, there are no comprehensive estimates of the cost of their impact and management. Here, we aimed at filling this gap by providing a comprehensive estimate of the economic cost of biological invasions in Brazil. In order to quantify these costs for species, ecosystems and human well-being we used the InvaCost database which is the first global compilation of the economic costs of biological invasions. We found that Brazil reportedly spent a minimum of USD 105.53 billions over 35 years (1984–2019), with an average spent of USD 3.02 (± 9.8) billions per year. Furthermore, USD 104.33 billion were due to damages and losses caused by invaders, whereas only USD 1.19 billion were invested in their management (prevention, control or eradication). We also found that recorded costs were unevenly distributed across ecosystems, and socio-economic sectors, and were rarely evaluated and published. We found that the economic costs with losses and damages were substantially greater than those used for prevention, control or eradication of IAS. Since our data show costs reported in Brazil for only 16 invasive alien species, our estimates are likely a conservative minimum of the actual economic costs of biological invasions in Brazil. Taken together, they indicate that invasive alien species are an important cause of economic losses and that Brazil has mostly opted for paying for the damage incurred by biological invasions rather than investing in preventing them from happening.

Download Full-text

Economic costs of biological invasions in Asia

NeoBiota ◽

10.3897/neobiota.67.58147 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 67 ◽

pp. 53-78 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Chunlong Liu ◽

Christophe Diagne ◽

Elena Angulo ◽

Achyut-Kumar Banerjee ◽

Yifeng Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Biological Invasions ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Human Society ◽

Economic Costs ◽

Country Level ◽

Geographical Regions ◽

Taxonomic Groups ◽

India And China

Invasive species have caused severe impacts on biodiversity and human society. Although the estimation of environmental impacts caused by invasive species has increased in recent years, economic losses associated with biological invasions are only sporadically estimated in space and time. In this study, we synthesized the losses incurred by invasions in Asia, based on the most comprehensive database of economic costs of invasive species worldwide, including 560 cost records for 88 invasive species in 22 countries. We also assessed the differences in economic costs across taxonomic groups, geographical regions and impacted sectors, and further identified the major gaps of current knowledge in Asia. Reported economic costs of biological invasions were estimated between 1965 and 2017, and reached a total of US$ 432.6 billion (2017 value), with dramatic increases in 2000–2002 and in 2004. The highest costs were recorded for terrestrial ectotherms, for species estimated in South Asia, and for species estimated at the country level, and were related to more than one impacted sector. Two taxonomic groups with the highest reported costs were insects and mammals, and two countries with the highest costs were India and China. Non-English data covered all of 12 taxonomic groups, whereas English data only covered six groups, highlighting the importance of considering data from non-English sources to have a more comprehensive estimation of economic costs associated with biological invasions. However, we found that the estimation of economic costs was lacking for most Asian countries and for more than 96% of introduced species in Asia. Further, the estimation is heavily biased towards insects and mammals and is very limited concerning expenditures on invasion management. To optimize the allocation of limited resources, there is an important need to better and more widely study the economic costs of invasive alien species. In this way, improved cost reporting and more collaborations between scientists and stakeholders are needed across Asia.

Download Full-text

Economic costs of biological invasions in terrestrial ecosystems in Russia

NeoBiota ◽

10.3897/neobiota.67.58529 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 67 ◽

pp. 103-130 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Natalia Kirichenko ◽

Phillip J. Haubrock ◽

Ross N. Cuthbert ◽

Evgeny Akulov ◽

Elena Karimova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Invasions ◽

Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽

Agrilus Planipennis ◽

Ambrosia Artemisiifolia ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Economic Costs ◽

Habitat Types ◽

Economic Sectors ◽

Russian Economy ◽

Invasive Taxa

Terrestrial ecosystems, owing to the presence of key socio-economic sectors such as agriculture and forestry, may be particularly economically affected by biological invasions. The present study uses a subset of the recently developed database of global economic costs of biological invasions (InvaCost) to quantify the monetary costs of biological invasions in Russia, the largest country in the world that spans two continents. From 2007 up to 2019, invasions costed the Russian economy at least US$ 51.52 billion (RUB 1.38 trillion, n = 94 cost entries), with the vast majority of these costs based on predictions or extrapolations (US$ 50.86 billion; n = 87) and, therefore, not empirically observed. Most cost entries exhibited low geographic resolution, being split between European and Asian parts of Russia (US$ 44.17 billion; n = 72). Just US$ 7.35 billion (n = 22) was attributed to the European part solely and none to the Asian part. Invasion costs were documented for 72 species and particularly insects (37 species). The empirically-observed costs, summing up to US$ 660 million (n = 7), were reported only for four species: two insects Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire and Cydalima perspectalis (Walker) and two plants Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. and Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden. The vast majority of economic costs were related to resource damages and economic losses, with very little reported expenditures on managing invasions in terrestrial ecosystems. In turn, agriculture (US$ 37.42 billion; n = 68) and forestry (US$ 14.0 billion; n = 20) were the most impacted sectors. Overall, we report burgeoning economic costs of invasions in Russia and identify major knowledge gaps, for example, concerning specific habitat types (i.e. aquatic) and management expenditures, as well as for numerous known invasive taxa with no reported economic costs (i.e. vertebrates). Given this massive, largely underestimated economic burden of invasions in Russia, our work is a call for improved reporting of costs nationally and internationally.

Download Full-text

InvaCost, a public database of the economic costs of biological invasions worldwide

Scientific Data ◽

10.1038/s41597-020-00586-z ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

C. Diagne ◽

B. Leroy ◽

R. E. Gozlan ◽

A.-C. Vaissière ◽

C. Assailly ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Invasions ◽

Public Awareness ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Economic Cost ◽

Global Scale ◽

Research Management ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Economic Costs ◽

Cost Estimates ◽

Data Validity

Abstract Biological invasions are responsible for tremendous impacts globally, including huge economic losses and management expenditures. Efficiently mitigating this major driver of global change requires the improvement of public awareness and policy regarding its substantial impacts on our socio-ecosystems. One option to contribute to this overall objective is to inform people on the economic costs linked to these impacts; however, until now, a reliable synthesis of invasion costs has never been produced at a global scale. Here, we introduce InvaCost as the most up-to-date, comprehensive, harmonised and robust compilation and description of economic cost estimates associated with biological invasions worldwide. We have developed a systematic, standardised methodology to collect information from peer-reviewed articles and grey literature, while ensuring data validity and method repeatability for further transparent inputs. Our manuscript presents the methodology and tools used to build and populate this living and publicly available database. InvaCost provides an essential basis (2419 cost estimates currently compiled) for worldwide research, management efforts and, ultimately, for data-driven and evidence-based policymaking.

Download Full-text

Continuous exposure to ambient air pollution and chronic diseases: prevalence, burden, and economic costs

Reviews on Environmental Health ◽

10.1515/reveh-2019-0106 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 35 (4) ◽

pp. 379-399

Author(s):

Seyed M. Karimi ◽

Ali Maziyaki ◽

Samaneh Ahmadian Moghadam ◽

Mahtab Jafarkhani ◽

Hamid Zarei ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Myocardial Infarction ◽

Air Pollution ◽

Chronic Diseases ◽

Ambient Air ◽

Ambient Air Pollution ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Continuous Exposure ◽

Economic Costs ◽

Unit Change ◽

Data Limitations

AbstractStudies that assess the connection between the prevalence of chronic diseases and continuous exposure to air pollution are scarce in developing countries, mainly due to data limitations. Largely overcoming data limitations, this study aimed to investigate the association between the likelihood of reporting a set of chronic diseases (diabetes, cancer, stroke and myocardial infarction, asthma, and hypertension) and continuous exposure to carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and coarse particulate matter (PM10). Using the estimated associations, the disease burden and economic costs of continuous exposure to air pollutants were also approximated. A 2011 Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool survey from Tehran, Iran, was used in the main analyses. A sample of 67,049 individuals who had not changed their place of residence for at least 2 years before the survey and reported all relevant socioeconomic information was selected. The individuals were assigned with the average monthly air pollutant levels of the nearest of 16 air quality monitors during the 2 years leading to the survey. Both single- and multi-pollutant analyses were conducted. The country’s annual household surveys from 2002 to 2011 were used to calculate the associated economic losses. The single-pollutant analysis showed that a one-unit increase in monthly CO (ppm), NO2 (ppb), O3 (ppb), and PM10 (μg/m3) during the 2 years was associated with 751 [confidence interval (CI): 512–990], 18 (CI: 12–24), 46 (CI: −27–120), and 24 (CI: 13–35) more reported chronic diseases in 100,000, respectively. The disease-specific analyses showed that a unit change in average monthly CO was associated with 329, 321, 232, and 129 more reported cases of diabetes, hypertension, stroke and myocardial infarction, and asthma in 100,000, respectively. The measured associations were greater in samples with older individuals. Also, a unit change in average monthly O3 was associated with 21 (in 100,000) more reported cases of asthma. The multi-pollutant analyses confirmed the results from single-pollutant analyses. The supplementary analyses showed that a one-unit decrease in monthly CO level could have been associated with about 208 (CI: 147–275) years of life gained or 15.195 (CI: 10.296–20.094) thousand US dollars (USD) in life-time labor market income gained per 100,000 30-plus-year-old Tehranis.

Download Full-text

Assessing Public Open Spaces: A Case of City Nagpur, India

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13094997 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 4997

Author(s):

Pritam Ahirrao ◽

Smita Khan

Keyword(s):

Open Space ◽

Well Being ◽

Design Guidelines ◽

International Standards ◽

Free Access ◽

Optimum Level ◽

Public Parks ◽

Diverse Range ◽

Environmentally Sustainable ◽

Public Open Space

Major Indian cities have a lower public open space (POS)-capita ratio and do not meet national and international standards. Moreover, factors such as lack of design guidelines for POSs, limited funding, and lack of public participation have affected these limitedly available POSs and made them ineffective and incapable of meeting the contemporary needs of a diverse range of users. Therefore, it is essential to make them not only inclusive, user-friendly, attractive, and efficient, but also socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable in order to serve the various facilities and services at their optimum level. This study includes the assessment of two POSs to identify strengths and deficiencies that affect their character and use. These POSs are public parks, provide free access to users and are located in the city of Nagpur. For assessment, the study proposed the Public Open Space Index (POSI) that combines five aspects: Individual well-being, Inclusiveness, Engagement, Sustainable spaces, and Management.A mixed methods approach was considered for data collection, including a self-administered questionnaire survey and observations.According to the results, POSs have strengths in that they facilitate social cohesion, engagement, and basic facilities. POSs do not encourage equitable access and sustainable practices, which are considered deficiencies.The study helps planners, designers, and parenting authority to develop initiatives to make these limited POSs inclusive, functional, and sustainable.

Download Full-text

Biodiversity of Secondary Metabolites Compounds Isolated from Phylum Actinobacteria and Its Therapeutic Applications

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26154504 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (15) ◽

pp. 4504

Author(s):

Muhanna Al-shaibani ◽

Radin Maya Saphira Radin Mohamed ◽

Nik Sidik ◽

Hesham Enshasy ◽

Adel Al-Gheethi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Secondary Metabolites ◽

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Extreme Environments ◽

Software Tool ◽

Gene Clusters ◽

Well Being ◽

Bioactive Substances ◽

Diverse Range ◽

Wide Range ◽

Potential Applications

The current review aims to summarise the biodiversity and biosynthesis of novel secondary metabolites compounds, of the phylum Actinobacteria and the diverse range of secondary metabolites produced that vary depending on its ecological environments they inhabit. Actinobacteria creates a wide range of bioactive substances that can be of great value to public health and the pharmaceutical industry. The literature analysis process for this review was conducted using the VOSviewer software tool to visualise the bibliometric networks of the most relevant databases from the Scopus database in the period between 2010 and 22 March 2021. Screening and exploring the available literature relating to the extreme environments and ecosystems that Actinobacteria inhabit aims to identify new strains of this major microorganism class, producing unique novel bioactive compounds. The knowledge gained from these studies is intended to encourage scientists in the natural product discovery field to identify and characterise novel strains containing various bioactive gene clusters with potential clinical applications. It is evident that Actinobacteria adapted to survive in extreme environments represent an important source of a wide range of bioactive compounds. Actinobacteria have a large number of secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters. They can synthesise thousands of subordinate metabolites with different biological actions such as anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, anti-virus, anti-cancer and growth-promoting compounds. These are highly significant economically due to their potential applications in the food, nutrition and health industries and thus support our communities’ well-being.

Download Full-text

Border Habitat Effects on Captures of Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in Pheromone Traps and Fruit Injury at Harvest in Apple and Peach Orchards in the Mid-Atlantic, USA

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12050419 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 419

Author(s):

James Christopher Bergh ◽

William R. Morrison ◽

Jon W. Stallrich ◽

Brent D. Short ◽

John P. Cullum ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Economic Losses ◽

Halyomorpha Halys ◽

Pheromone Traps ◽

Alternative Management ◽

Crop Fields ◽

Field Crops ◽

Crop Injury ◽

Tree Fruit ◽

Management Approaches ◽

Fruit Orchards

The invasive Halyomorpha halys invades crop fields from various bordering habitats, and its feeding on crops has caused significant economic losses. Thus, H. halys is considered a perimeter-driven threat, and research on alternative management tactics against it has focused on intervention at crop edges. Woodlands adjacent to crop fields contain many hosts of H. halys and are therefore considered “riskiest” in terms of pest pressure and crop injury. However, tree fruit orchards in the Mid-Atlantic, USA, are often bordered on one or more sides by woodlands and other habitats, including other tree fruit blocks, and field crops. Monitoring H. halys using pheromone traps has most often focused on the crop–woodland interface, but the relative effects of woodlands and other habitats bordering orchards on pest pressure and crop injury have not been examined. A two-year study comparing seasonal captures of H. halys and fruit injury among different habitats bordering commercial apple and peach orchards in the Mid-Atlantic revealed that while woodland borders often posed the greatest risk, other border habitats also contributed significantly to captures and injury in numerous instances. The relevance of these findings to refining and optimizing perimeter-based monitoring and management approaches for H. halys is discussed.

Download Full-text

Protean and Boundaryless Career Attitude as Determinants of Well-being Among Indian IT Temporary Agency Workers

Vision The Journal of Business Perspective ◽

10.1177/09722629211036208 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 097226292110362

Author(s):

Swati Alok ◽

Rajthilak R.

Keyword(s):

Employee Engagement ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Well Being ◽

Direct Effects ◽

Mediation Effects ◽

Validated Questionnaire ◽

Boundaryless Career ◽

Management Approaches ◽

Study Participants ◽

Temporary Agency Workers

The growth of temporary and non-standard employment arrangements post liberalization drives temporary agency workers (TAWs), especially of the information technology (IT) sector, to be agents of their own career identities. As a result, TAWs embrace self-managed/adaptable career management approaches namely protean career (PCO) and boundaryless career (BCO) orientations for their long-term sustainability and well-being. This study investigated the direct effects of PCO and BCO on TAW’s well-being, also, their indirect effects thorough perceived employability (PE). Study participants were 246 TAWs employed by leading Indian IT recruitment agencies and deployed to work for various IT clients. Data were collected through validated questionnaire and analysed through structural equation modelling. Findings confirm direct effects of PCO and BCO on TAW well-being and partial mediation effects of PE. Thus, to boost TAWs’ well-being, organizations may consider developing their protean attitudes via employee engagement programmes, staff agencies through counselling to map workers values/interest with their assigned projects, TAWs workers themselves proactively participating in the challenging assignment at the client place.

Download Full-text