Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Global Efforts to Address the Wicked Problem of Invasive Alien Species

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Plant Invasions in Protected Areas

Part of the book series: Invading Nature - Springer Series in Invasion Ecology ((INNA,volume 7))

Abstract

As the globalization of trade continues to expand, species inevitably have more opportunities to spread. Some are intentionally traded and become established in new ecosystems, thereby potentially changing the functioning of the now-modified ecosystem. Invasive alien species are gaining greater public attention, especially when their spread becomes dramatic and threatens ecosystems that people value. But by the time an invasive alien species becomes a problem, it may be too late to effectively respond. Perhaps worse, some people may welcome the alien species, making it even more difficult to implement eradication or control measures. This can make invasive species a ‘wicked problem’, challenging the building of the consensus necessary to reach a solution. But building public awareness about the impacts of invasive species can help to provide the necessary support, drawing on broad government support through international agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity. Practical measures to address the problems posed to native biodiversity (at the level of genes, species, and ecosystems) by invasive species of plants are the subject of active research and practical experience, posing some hope that even a problem as ‘wicked’ as invasive alien species can be successfully addressed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 219.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 279.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Acevedo-Gutierrez A, Acevedo L, Boren L (2011) Effects of the presence of official-looking volunteers on harassment of New Zealand fur seals. Conserv Biol 25:623–627

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • California Invasive Plant Council (2006) California invasive plant inventory. http://www.cal.ipc.org. Accessed 28 Oct 2012

  • CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) (2010) The Aichi biodiversity targets. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapin FS III, Carpenter SR, Kofinas GP et al (2009) Ecosystem stewardship: sustainability strategies for a rapidly changing planet. Trends Ecol Evol 25:241–249

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Conklin J (ed) (2006) Dialogue mapping: building shared understanding of wicked problems. Wiley, West Sussex

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox R, Underwood C (2011) The importance of conserving biodiversity outside of protected areas in Mediterranean ecosystems. PLoS One 6(1):e14508

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davis MA, Chew MJ, Hobbs RJ et al (2011) Don’t judge species on their origins. Nature 474:153–154

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dorcas M, Willson JD, Reed RN et al (2012) Severe mammal declines coincide with proliferation of invasive Burmese pythons in Everglades National Park. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109:2418–2422

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • FLEPPC (Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council) (2011) Florida exotic pest plant database 2011. http://www.fleppc.org/list/11list.html. Accessed 18 May 2013

  • Genovesi P, Monaco A (2013) Chapter 22: Guidelines for addressing invasive species in protected areas. In: Foxcroft LC, Pyšek P, Richardson DM, Genovesi P (eds) Plant invasions in protected areas: patterns, problems and challenges. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 487–506

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths CJ, Jones CG, Hansen DM et al (2009) The use of extant non-indigenous tortoises as a restoration tool to replace extant ecosystem engineers. Restor Ecol 18:1–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guo Z, Zhang L, Li Y (2010) Increased dependence of humans on ecosystem services and biodiversity. PLoS One 5(10):e13113

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hellmann JJ, Beyers JE, Bierwagen BG et al (2008) Five potential consequences of climate change for invasive species. Conserv Biol 22:534–543

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson L (2002) Problem plants in Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Final report to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority. Arusha, Tanzania

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill SB, Vincent C, Chouinard G (1999) Evolving ecosystems approaches to fruit insect pest management. Agric Ecosyst Environ 73:107–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) (2012) IUCN red list. http://www.iucnredlist.org. Accessed 28 Oct 2012

  • Koike F, Clout MN, Kawamichi M et al (2006) Assessment and control of biological invasion risks. Shoukadoh Book Sellers/International Union for Conservation of Nature, Kyoto/Gland

    Google Scholar 

  • Krysko KL, Enge KM, Moler PE (2011) Verified non-indigenous amphibians and reptiles in Florida from 1863 to 2010. Outlining the invasion process and identifying invasion pathways and stages. Zootaxa 3028:1–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Lausche B (2008) Weaving a web of environmental law. Erich Schmidt Verlag, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Leischman MR, Haslelhurst T, Areas A et al (2007) Leaf trait relationships of native and invasive plants: community and global-scale comparisons. New Phytol 176:635–643

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lockwood J, Hoopes M, Marchetti M (2011) Non-natives: plusses of invasion ecology. Nature 475:36

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Loope L, Flint Hughes R, Meyer J-Y (2013) Chapter 15: Plant invasions in protected areas of tropical Pacific Islands, with special reference to Hawaii. In: Foxcroft LC, Pyšek P, Richardson DM, Genovesi P (eds) Plant invasions in protected areas: patterns, problems and challenges. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 313–348

    Google Scholar 

  • McNeely JA (ed) (2001) The great reshuffling: human dimensions of invasive alien species. International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gland

    Google Scholar 

  • Meshaka WE, Loftus WF, Steiner T (2000) The herpetofauna of Everglades National Park. Florida Sci 63:84–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer JY, Fourdrigniez M, Taputuarai R (2010) The recovery of the native and endemic flora after the introduction of a fungal pathogen to control the invasive tree Miconia calvescens in Tahiti, French Polynesia. Biol Control Nat 3:1–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyerson LA, Mooney HA (2007) Invasive alien species in an era of globalization. Front Ecol Environ 5:199–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyerson LA, Pyšek P (2013) Chapter 21: Manipulating alien plant species propagule pressure as a prevention strategy for protected areas. In: Foxcroft LC, Pyšek P, Richardson DM, Genovesi P (eds) Plant invasions in protected areas: patterns, problems and challenges. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 473–486

    Google Scholar 

  • Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) Ecosystems and human well-being: biodiversity synthesis. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Mooney HM, Mack RN, McNeely JA et al (eds) (2005) Invasive alien species: a new synthesis. Island Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • National Park Service (ed) (2012) Great Smoky Mountains National Park. United States National Park Service, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Nuzzo V, Maerz JC, Blossey B (2009) Earthworm invasion as the driving force behind plant invasion and community change in Northeastern North American forests. Conserv Biol 23:966–974

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Raj RK, Scarborough H, Subedi N et al (2012) Invasive plants: do they devastate or diversify rural livelihoods. J Nat Conserv 20:170–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramsar (2002) Decision VIII.18. Invasive species and wetlands. 8th meeting of the conference of parties to the convention on wetlands. Ramsar Secretariat, Gland

    Google Scholar 

  • Raudsepp-Hearne C, Peterson GD, Tengö M et al (2010) Untangling the environmentalist’s paradox: why is human well-being increasing as ecosystem services degrade? BioScience 60:576–589

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SCBD (Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity) (2010) Handbook of the convention on biological diversity. United Nations Environment Program, Montreal

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlaepfer MA, Sax D, Olden JD (2011) The potential conservation value of non-native species. Conserv Biol 25:428–437

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shine C, Williams N, Gundling L (2000) A guide to designing legal and institutional frameworks on alien invasive species. International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gland

    Google Scholar 

  • Simberloff D (2013) Chapter 25: Eradication – pipe dream or real option? In: Foxcroft LC, Pyšek P, Richardson DM, Genovesi P (eds) Plant invasions in protected areas: patterns, problems and challenges. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 549–559

    Google Scholar 

  • Simberloff D et al (2011) Non-natives: 141 scientists object. Nature 475:36

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Steadman DW (1995) Prehistoric extinctions of Pacific island birds: biodiversity meets zooarcheology. Science 267:1123–1131

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tu M (2009) Assessing and managing invasive species within protected areas. The nature conservancy, convention on biological diversity, and IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas. Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • UNDP (United Nations Development Program) (2003) Human development report 2003. United Nations, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Driesche R, Center T (2013) Chapter 26: Biological control of invasive plants in protected areas. In: Foxcroft LC, Pyšek P, Richardson DM, Genovesi P (eds) Plant invasions in protected areas: patterns, problems and challenges. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 561–597

    Google Scholar 

  • Veitch CR, Clout MN (eds) (2002) Turning the tide: the eradication of invasive species. Proceedings of the international conference on eradication of island invasives. International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gland, Switzerland

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittenburg R, Cock MJW (2001) Invasive alien species: a toolkit of best prevention and management practices. CAB International, Wallingford

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Jeffrey A. McNeely

    Present address: , Petchburi, Thailand

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gland, Switzerland

    Jeffrey A. McNeely

Authors
  1. Jeffrey A. McNeely
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeffrey A. McNeely .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. South African National Parks, Centre for Invasion Biology Conservation Services, Skukuza, South Africa

    Llewellyn C. Foxcroft

  2. Department of Invasion Ecology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Institute of Botany, průhonice, Czech Republic

    Petr Pyšek

  3. Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University Center for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch, South Africa

    David M. Richardson

  4. ISPRA Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, and Chair IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group, Rome, Italy

    Piero Genovesi

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

McNeely, J.A. (2013). Global Efforts to Address the Wicked Problem of Invasive Alien Species. In: Foxcroft, L., Pyšek, P., Richardson, D., Genovesi, P. (eds) Plant Invasions in Protected Areas. Invading Nature - Springer Series in Invasion Ecology, vol 7. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7750-7_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation