Do controversies divide the field of invasion science? A new study finds that consensus among invasion science experts is generally high, however, some topics still generate debate.
The potential economic impact of the polyphagous shot hole borer in South Africa amounts to R275 billion over the next ten years if nothing is done to stem the tide. This estimate is the result of a study conducted by economists and ecologists at the Stellenbosch University (SU) and the University of Pretoria (UP).
A new synthesis paper by C∙I∙B Core Team member John Wilson and C∙I∙B Associate Petr Pyšek, provides advice on how to address context dependency in invasion science.
Urban areas are foci for the introduction of alien species and very often act as launching sites for invasions into natural ecosystems that adjoin urban ecosystems. Until very recently, the study of biological invasions has focused on developing concepts and frameworks mainly for (semi)natural ecosystems.
Invasion science must adapt to meet growing societal demands and biosecurity challenges in the face of rapid global environmental change. This task was addressed at a workshop during the NEOBIOTA conference in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland, in September 2018 that was attended by several researchers affiliated with the Centre for Invasion Biology (C∙I∙B).
