The EPPO prioritization process for invasive alien plants

Although invasive alien plants are gaining increased attention within EPPO countries, there is no existing widely agreed method to identify those alien plants that are considered invasive and represent the highest priority for pest risk analysis. In the framework of the ad hoc Panel on Invasive Alien Species, EPPO proposes a prioritization process for invasive alien plants designed (i) to produce a list of invasive alien plants that are established or could potentially establish in the EPPO region and (ii) to determine which of these have the highest priority for an EPPO pest risk analysis. The process consists of compiling available information on alien plants according to pre‐determined criteria, and can be run at the EPPO region level, or at a country or local area level. These criteria examine whether the species is alien in the area under study, and whether it is established or not. The criteria used primarily rely on observations in the EPPO region but, if the species is not established, the invasive behaviour of the species in other countries should be investigated, as well as the suitability of the ecoclimatic conditions in the area under consideration. The spread potential, the potential negative impacts on native species, habitats and ecosystems, as well as on agriculture, horticulture or forestry are considered. If the species qualifies as an invasive alien plant of major concern through this first set of questions, the process then investigates the efficiency of international measures (to be justified through a pest risk analysis) to prevent the entry and spread of the species. The second set of questions are designed to determine whether the species is internationally traded or enters new countries through international pathways for which the risk of introduction is superior to natural spread, and whether the species still has a significant suitable area for further spread. If used by several EPPO countries, this prioritization process represents an opportunity to provide consistent country lists of invasive alien plant species, as well as a tool for dialogue and exchange of information.     

Improving the prevention of alien plant invasion in the EPPO region: the need to focus on highly invasive plants with (still) limited distribution – examples from Israel

Prevention (of invasion) is the most efficient strategy to control invasive alien plants (IAPs). This requires that potentially invasive plant taxa not yet introduced into regions where they could become invasive are identified as early as possible. Therefore, alongside the best known and already widespread IAPs it is crucial to highlight highly invasive plant taxa whose distribution is still limited. It becomes even more important to consider those taxa when some are recommended as ornamental/useful species outside their native range. This paper provides six examples of IAPs whose invasiveness has been established but which are still restricted to a single EPPO country (Israel). While horizon‐scanning studies have produced valuable alert lists, mainly for temperate Europe, EPPO pest risk analyses have focused on IAPs that are widespread outside the EPPO region. Therefore it is suggested that more attention is given to IAPs that pose a threat to Mediterranean, semiarid and arid areas within the EPPO region but that so far have remained largely unnoticed because of their present limited distribution. Awareness of these species must be urgently raised before they spread to new EPPO countries. The elaboration of a database compiling information about IAPs characterized by a restricted distribution in each EPPO country is discussed. The examples presented in this paper are most relevant to EPPO countries with a dry (Mediterranean, semiarid and arid) climate.     

A prioritization process for invasive alien plant species incorporating the requirements of EU Regulation no. 1143/2014

When faced with a large species pool of invasive or potentially invasive alien plants, prioritization is an essential prerequisite for focusing limited resources on species which inflict high impacts, have a high rate of spread and can be cost‐effectively managed. The prioritization process as detailed within this paper is the first tool to assess species for priority for risk assessment (RA) in the European Union (EU) specifically designed to incorporate the requirements of EU Regulation no. 1143/2014. The prioritization process can be used for any plant species alien to the EU, whether currently present within the territory or absent. The purpose of the prioritization is to act as a preliminarily evaluation to determine which species have the highest priority for RA at the EU level and may eventually be proposed for inclusion in the list of invasive alien species of EU concern. The preliminary risk assessment stage (Stage 1), prioritizes species into one of four lists (EU List of Invasive Alien Plants, EU Observation List of Invasive Alien Plants, EU List of Minor Concern and the Residual List) based on their potential for spread coupled with impacts. The impacts on native species and ecosystem functions and related ecosystem services are emphasized in line with Article 4.3(c) of the Regulation. Only those species included in the EU List of Invasive Alien Plants proceed to Stage 2 where potential for further spread and establishment coupled with evaluating preventative and management actions is evaluated. The output of Stage 2 is to prioritize those species which have the highest priority for a RA at the EU level or should be considered under national measures which may involve a trade ban, cessation of cultivation, monitoring, control, containment or eradication. When considering alien plant species for the whole of the EPPO region, or for species under the Plant Health Regulation, the original EPPO prioritization process for invasive alien plants remains the optimum tool.     

Top 20 environmental weeds for classical biological control in Europe: a review of opportunities, regulations and other barriers to adoption

Classical biological control remains the only tool available for permanent ecological and economic management of invasive alien species that flourish through absence of their co‐evolved natural enemies. As such, this approach is recognized as a key tool for alien species management by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) and the European Strategy on Invasive Alien Species (ESIAS). Successful classical biological control programmes abound around the world, despite disproportionate attention being given to occasional and predictable non‐target impacts. Despite more than 130 case histories in Europe against insect pests, no exotic classical biological control agent has been released in the EU against an alien invasive weed. This dearth has occurred in the face of increasing numbers of exotic invasive plants being imported and taking over National Parks, forests and amenity areas in this region, as well as a global increase in the use of classical biological control around the world. This paper reviews potential European weed targets for classical biological control from ecological and socioeconomic perspectives using the criteria of historical biological control success, taxonomic isolation from European native flora, likely availability of biological control agents, invasiveness outside Europe and value to primary industry and horticulture (potential for conflicts of interest). We also review why classical biological control of European exotic plants remains untested, considering problems of funding and public perception. Finally, we consider the regulatory framework that surrounds such biological control activities within constituent countries of the EU to suggest how this approach may be adopted in the future for managing invasive exotic weeds in Europe.     

Preventing a new invasive alien plant from entering and spreading in the Euro‐Mediterranean region: the case study of Parthenium hysterophorus

Parthenium or famine weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) is an annual plant originating from the Americas, which is a major invasive alien plant in almost all continents. While the deleterious impacts of the species on agriculture, human and animal health have been well documented, information on the pathways of entry of the species is only occasionally mentioned in the literature. As this invasive alien plant is only recorded as established in Israel and Egypt within the Euro‐Mediterranean region, the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization identified P. hysterophorus as an emerging threat. EPPO therefore performed a Pest Risk Analysis on this species to assess the risk it represents and to consider appropriate management options. The EPPO Pest Risk Analysis main outputs are summarized in this article, indicating the probability of entry of the species via the different pathways within the EPPO region, its probabilities of establishment and spread, and the magnitude of its potential agricultural, environmental and social impacts.     

Pathway analysis: aquatic plants imported in 10 EPPO countries

Pathway analyses are regarded by National Plant Protection Organizations as a very efficient way to address the risks posed by invasive alien species. Data on import of aquatic plants was obtained from 10 EPPO countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Latvia, Switzerland and Turkey) and aggregated in order to consider whether invasive or potentially invasive alien plants could be introduced in the EPPO region through this pathway. This study highlights that this pathway mainly consists of the import of tropical plants for use in aquaria, and which do not represent a risk due to their climatic requirements. However, a few species require thorough attention owing to the threats they cause. Of the 247 species recorded as imported, only 10 are currently considered to be a threat, representing 4% of the total number of plants imported. These 10 invasive or potentially invasive species continue to be traded in huge quantities in spite of the fact that Crassula helmsii and Eichhornia crassipes are recommended for regulation by EPPO, Azolla filiculoides, Egeria densa, Elodea nuttalli, Lagarosiphon major, Ludwigia grandiflora and Myriophyllum aquaticum should have their entry and spread prevented by countries and Hydrilla verticillata and Pistia stratiotes are recorded on the EPPO Alert List. Six additional species have been identified as representing a moderate to high potential risk: Alternanthera sessilis, Adiantum raddianum, Gymnocoronis spilanthoides, Hygrophila polysperma, Limnophila sessiliflora and Syngonium podophyllum. These species could be subject to further investigation, possibly a pest risk analysis, to evaluate the risk they may represent.     

Climate warming alters competition between two highly invasive alien plant species and dominant native competitors

Biological invasions and climate warming are two major threats to the world's biodiversity. To date, their impacts have largely been considered independently, despite indications that climate warming may increase the success of many invasive alien species. We therefore set up an experiment to study competition between native and invasive alien plant species and the effects of climate warming thereon. Two highly invasive alien plant species in Belgium, each with a native competitor that dominated in invaded sites, were grown either together (1:1 mixtures) or in isolation (monocultures) at ambient and elevated temperature (+3°C) in climate‐controlled chambers. To detect possible mechanisms underlying the effects of competition and elevated temperature, we conducted a combined growth and nitrogen uptake analysis. In one pair, Senecio inaequidens – Plantago lanceolata (alien invasive – native), the alien species dominated in mixture, while in the other pair, Solidago gigantea – Epilobium hirsutum, the native species dominated. Climate warming reduced the invader dominance in the first species pair, but stimulated the suppressed invader in the latter. Many of the biomass responses for these two species pairs could be traced to the root‐specific nitrogen uptake capacity. The responses of the native‐invasive interaction to warming could not always be extrapolated from the monoculture responses, pointing to the necessity for experiments that take into account species interactions.     

长沙地区典型生境中外来入侵植物组成及入侵危害研究

为了全面摸清长沙地区典型生境中外来入侵植物的种类构成、区系组成,为保护长沙地区本地生态系统,防止外来植物的入侵危害提供决策依据,以长沙市9种土地利用类型、22种生境类型为调查对象,采取标准样地法、样方法、样线法进行外来入侵植物实地调查,通过文献资料对调查物种进行了补充。调查结果表明,长沙地区有外来入侵植物116种,隶属38科83属,其中菊科(29种)、豆科(12种)及苋科(11种)为优势科,占物种总数的44.83%;种类最多的属为苋属(5种)和大戟属(5种)。原产地分析结果表明,81种外来入侵植物来自美洲地区,占物种总数的69.83%。从入侵等级来看,处于恶性入侵种(1级)、严重入侵种(2级)、局部入侵种(3级)的物种数分别为21、24、14种。植物区系分析结果显示,长沙地区外来入侵植物科的主要分布类型为世界广布、泛热带分布;属的主要分布类型依次为泛热带分布、世界分布、东亚(热带、亚热带)及热带南美间断分布、北温带分布。     

庐山外来植物调查研究

[目的]为进一步了解庐山地区现有外来植物现状,掌握庐山外来植物数据,为庐山外来植物管理提供参考依据.[方法]运用线路踏查法进行野外调查并结合相关文献、标本资料,对庐山外来植物种类、生活型、 原产地、引入途径以及外来入侵植物种类进行研究.[结果]庐山外来植物共有89科309属448种:(1)菊科植物种类最多,有69种,约...     

Invasive alien plants along roadsides in Europe

This study presents a list of invasive alien plants that are found along roadsides in seven selected European countries – Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Norway, Slovenia and Sweden – and an overview on the role of roadsides as a habitat for invasive alien plants. This compilation is based on national lists of invasive alien plants, a literature search and expert consultation. Comprising 89 species from 31 plant families, species introduced for horticulture dominate the list (65%). Thirteen species (14%) are widespread (occur in four or more countries) and include well‐known invasive plants such as Fallopia japonica, Heracleum mantegazzianum, Solidago canadensis and Solidago gigantea. Seventeen species are listed either on the EPPO List of Invasive Alien Plants or on the EPPO A2 List of pests recommended for regulation as quarantine pests. Five species are on the List of Invasive Alien Species of Union Concern (EU Regulation 1143/2014). The compiled list provides a snap‐shot of invasive alien plants currently found along roadsides in the selected countries. It allows for a more targeted approach to monitoring, containment and control of the most problematic invasive alien plants identified in each country. Moreover, the list may also be used to identify emerging (potentially) invasive alien plants along roadsides in other European countries that warrant monitoring and/or management.     

北京市湿地入侵植物群落与本地植物群落的生物多样性比较

为明确外来入侵植物对本地湿地植物多样性的影响，在北京市湿地选择23个样地共245个样方进行物种多样性调查，并从不同植物性状数据库获取样方中所有植物的株高、叶长、叶宽、叶面积和比叶面积等10个功能性状数据，对比分析入侵群落与本地群落的物种多样性、系统发育多样性和功能多样性特征。结果显示，在北京市湿地共记录到26种外来入侵草本植物，隶属10科19属，其中，菊科外来入侵植物种类最多，有10种。除比叶面积、叶片碳含量和株高的系统发育信号显著外，其余7种植物功能性状的系统发育信号均不显著，表明大多数功能性状未表现出系统发育保守性。入侵群落所有物种的物种多样性指标Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、物种丰富度指数和Simpson优势度指数以及系统发育多样性指标谱系多样性和平均最近谱系发育距离均显著高于本地群落和入侵群落本地物种，而入侵群落本地物种的功能分散指数和Rao''Q二次熵指数均显著高于本地群落，表明外来物种入侵改变了湿地植物的生物多样性，且外来物种入侵后群落谱系多样性趋于发散，说明与本地植物亲缘关系越远的入侵物种越容易在湿地群落中建立种群，符合达尔文归化假说。     

Phytogeography of the northeastern coast of the Caspian Sea： native flora and recent colonizations

The northeastern coast of the Caspian Sea is one of the youngest territories for plant colonization in Kazakhstan,and the flora of the most recent portion of this coastal area,the New Caspian marine plain,was chosen to study phytogeographical characteristics of plant species,especially as related to alien origin and invasive potential.Because of the recent formation of this flora,I expected that a large proportion of the species may be alien and invasive.After compiling a comprehensive species list from previous research,I identified the taxonomic,life form,ecological,and geographical structures of the flora.The area belongs to the northern type of deserts with continental climate and low annual precipitation.Taxonomic and life form structures show that the flora is specific to Central Asian deserts.Ecological structure demonstrates a high percentage of halophytes,which resulted from their adaptation to soil salinity and shallow ground waters that occur throughout the study area.Geoelements of the flora indicate allochtonous properties of the flora(i.e.species derived from areas outside the study area) with a low proportion of native(Caspian) plants.Alien species are estimated to comprise 12%-19% of the flora.Although some species have invasive features,severe arid environmental conditions and high salinity of soils and ground waters decrease invasive capacity of exotic plants.However,a threat of expansion of potentially invasive plants exists in the New Caspian marine plain due to the fast growth of anthropogenic habitats associated with recent oil developments.     

基于网络舆情视角分析我国外来生物入侵问题

外来生物入侵已成为全球面临的生态安全与生物安全重大问题，而我国是全球遭遇外来入侵生物危害最严重的国家之一。针对目前我国外来生物入侵高发、频发的现状，充分发挥网络舆情大数据监测与分析能力，解析近年来我国外来生物入侵舆情发展、传播路径与特征，并提出应对措施和建议，为开展防控治理工作提供基础数据支撑。该文基于网络舆情大数据，采用主题抽取、热点话题识别、情感倾向分析、舆情演化分析等技术，重点梳理自2000年以来的重要网络外来生物入侵舆情事件，归纳总结舆情演变过程，分析提炼舆情特征规律；并将我国外来生物入侵网络舆情的发展大致分为萌芽阶段、发酵阶段和爆发阶段3个阶段，综合分析舆情特征，发现当前网民对外来入侵生物的态度趋于理性，参与外来入侵生物防治意愿高涨；媒体报道调性以正向为主，舆论引导力提升；监察部门积极发挥监察职能，通过公益诉讼参与外来入侵生物治理，整体舆论形势向好，已经构建了政府-媒体-公众多元治理的良性互动格局。     

The International Plant Sentinel Network: a tool for Regional and National Plant Protection Organizations

Botanic gardens and arboreta are valuable but currently under‐utilized resources in plant health research. Within their vast collections of living plants, gardens play host to expatriate plant species from across the world. These plants offer unique opportunities to study damaging pest and pathogen threats before their introduction into a region where they would be considered invasive aliens. Through these studies, scientists can determine vital information related to these organisms, which can in turn be used to strengthen understanding, contribute to pest risk analysis activities and put in place appropriate quarantine measures or other management programmes. The International Plant Sentinel Network (IPSN) has been working for the last 3 years to provide the support and resources needed for gardens to contribute to such research. The next phase of the IPSN will be to coordinate this research; it will identify, facilitate and provide the already developed tools to contributing gardens. In this way, the IPSN will provide meaningful and valuable information to plant health experts which could help mitigate, or stop altogether, the damaging impacts of new and emerging invasive alien organisms.     

Is terrestrial plant import from East Asia into countries in the EPPO region a potential pathway for new emerging invasive alien plants?

Pathway analysis represents an effective means of identifying emerging invasive alien species. For plants, a significant number of invasions have been caused by plant species originally voluntary introduced as ornamentals. The pathway analysis for terrestrial ornamental plants imported from East Asia has been undertaken to provide information on the imports and to identify emerging terrestrial invasive alien plants. Data for terrestrial ornamental plants imported from East Asia into Austria, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey was assembled at the genus level. Thousands of species of plants for planting are imported from East Asia in very large volumes. However, despite the fact that the data could only been analyzed at the genus level, it is considered that only a very limited number of taxa would become invasive. The potentially invasive alien species are already widely available in European nurseries and are principally produced within the European Union.     

云南省六个国家级自然保护区外来入侵草本植物与本地植物的关系

为明确不同自然保护区外来入侵草本植物及其与本地植物多样性之间的关系,以我国生物多样性丰富的云南省为研究对象,于2014年对云南省6个国家级自然保护区的82个1 m2小样方(78个100 m2大样方)中外来入侵草本植物和本地植物物种丰富度和密度进行调查,并分析外来入侵草本植物物种丰富度与本地草本植物物种丰富度、外来入侵草本植物密度与本地草本植物密度的关系及对不同自然保护区外来入侵草本植物物种丰富度的差异进行分析。结果显示,共调查发现22种外来入侵草本植物,其中纳板河流域国家级自然保护区种类最多,达14种,金平分水岭国家级自然保护区仅有2种;6个国家级自然保护区本地草本植物的物种丰富度与外来入侵草本植物的物种丰富度之间、本地草本植物密度与外来入侵草本植物密度之间均呈现正、负2种相关关系,其中哀牢山国家级自然保护区本地草本植物的物种丰富度与外来入侵草本植物物种丰富度呈显著负相关,其它5个国家级自然保护区的相关性均不显著。简单回归分析表明自然保护区外来入侵草本植物物种丰富度与本地草本植物物种丰富度、本地草本植物盖度、本地乔灌木物种丰富度呈显著负相关,多元回归分析结果表明乔灌木物种丰富度和经纬度是造成不同自然保护区外来入侵草本植物物种多样性差异的主要原因。     

The regulatory landscape for biological control agents

A biological control agent (BCA) has been defined as ‘an organism [used] to reduce the population density of another organism’. However, an organism which is a BCA may, in addition, fall within the regulatory definition of an invasive alien species, a plant pest, a quarantine plant pest, a harmful organism, a plant protection product, or any combination of these. Therefore the regulatory landscape which has to be navigated by applicants wishing to release BCAs is complex. Examples are given of this complexity, drawing on relevant international standards and European Union legislation. A clearer understanding of the regulatory landscape across the EPPO region is necessary for agreeing routes through it to facilitate rapid adoption of biological control options, where these are available, and to ensure that potential risks and benefits are assessed in a coherent and consistent way.     

Invasive alien plants in plant health: a review of the past ten years

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) provides the background for National Plant Protection Organisations (NPPOs) to regulate and control invasive alien species that are harmful to plants. This subject was specifically discussed for the first time 10 years ago at IPPC level, and further explored by an IPPC open‐ended working group. The resulting concept was considered at EU level, and the EU Council supported the suitability of the plant health framework for these species, requesting the EU Commission to further analyse the needs for regulatory work in the EU plant health regime. Subsequently the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) started a new working programme. The international conference ‘Invasive alien species and the IPPC’ set a signal for IPPC contracting parties to encourage their NPPOs to enforce actions on invasive alien species. IPPC standards on pest risk analysis (PRA) were adapted so as to include invasive alien species harmful to plants, and a memorandum of cooperation was adopted between the Secretariats of the IPPC and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). At present, the EU Commission, DG Environment is developing a European strategy on invasive alien species. The EU Plant Health Regulatory System is currently subjected to a major evaluation process in which a clearer inclusion of invasive alien species into the system is one of the strategic discussions.     

Awareness raising on alien species in Slovenia

In Slovenia invasive alien species (IAS) have been overlooked for many years. Despite a growing body of evidence about the negative impacts of IAS, little attention has been given to the issue on a policy level. Legislation and institutional support have also been poorly developed. IAS have only been studied by a few experts. Among the general public, even the term ‘alien species’ was virtually unknown until recently. In 2008 the first nation‐wide awareness project on IAS, Project Thuja, was launched. During this project many general awareness raising activities were carried out including a travelling exhibition and a brochure for hobby gardeners. A well‐attended conference on IAS brought together stakeholders from governmental and non‐governmental sectors. In April 2012 a follow up project Thuja 2 started. This was directed to target groups (fishermen, pet keepers, pet shop employees, gardeners), to aim to change their practices and thereby limit further introductions of IAS. A web‐based system to report observations of IAS was also established. Through these activities, alien species have been recognised as a serious threat to biodiversity by various stakeholder groups. However, as the projects were carried out by non‐governmental organisations, making improvements on a policy level was limited to expert proposals. These have not yet been implemented and a national policy on IAS is still to be developed.