Highlighted papers

Read more about the article Unmitigated economic impact of polyphagous shot hole borer estimated at R275 billion
2022 / Highlighted papers

Unmitigated economic impact of polyphagous shot hole borer estimated at R275 billion

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).

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25 May 2022
Read more about the article What informs decisions to manage urban biological invasions?
A framework of key considerations for establishing invasive alien species (IAS) management thresholds to inform decision-making in urban areas and how they relate to the stages of invasion.
2021 / Highlighted papers

What informs decisions to manage urban biological invasions?

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.

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24 August 2021
Read more about the article Retooling invasion science to deal with rapid global change
Figure 2. The “bridgehead effect” of the global spread of the harlequin ladybird beetle Harmonia axyridis, based on genetic analyses by Lombaert and colleagues (2010; PLoS ONE 5: e9743). The beetle was introduced intentionally as an insect biocontrol agent in some regions (shown in green). From these bridgehead regions, the beetle was transported inadvertently to other continents. Most of the global spread of this species has originated from non-native populations in Eastern North America.
2021 / Highlighted papers

Retooling invasion science to deal with rapid global change

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).

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24 June 2021
Read more about the article Addressing uncertainty in impact assessments for alien species
Participants at the workshop held in Melbourne, Australia in 2018. (Picture supplied by Melodie McGeoch)
2021 / Highlighted papers

Addressing uncertainty in impact assessments for alien species

Impact classification schemes for alien taxa are becoming more prominent as the threats posed by biological invasions increase. A recent study found that despite a high variety of uncertainties occurring in impact assessments, some of which cannot be eliminated easily, communicating their existence, cause and variety can lead to more useful and reliable outcomes of impact assessments.

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20 May 2021