December 18, 2003
Scientists Warn That U.S. Is Under Assault by Invasive Species
Biological Invaders Costing Nation Billions Annually On the tenth anniversary of a landmark report on invasive species, a panel of national experts called progress in dealing with invasive species during the past decade woefully inadequate. Federal inaction has prompted 750 scientists and experts to sign a "Call to Action" urging Congress and the President to move immediately to prevent the further introduction and spread of these biological invaders. More than 100 citizens groups have signed an identical letter. "We are witnessing an increasing rate of discovery of non-native species with severe environmental and economic impacts. In the Great Lakes alone, scientists have discovered at least 9 new species in the last 10 years," said Dr. David Lodge, professor of biology at the University of Notre Dame. "You don't have to be a scientist to recognize the damage these invaders inflict on our farms, forests, fisheries, and human health. It is essential for the federal government to act swiftly to prevent new introductions." Harmful, non-native plants, animals, and microorganisms now comprise the second largest threat to global biodiversity after loss of habitat and, by one estimate, cost the United States at least $137 billion annually. Last week, at a Target store in Gainesville, Florida, a wood-boring beetle was found in scented pinecones imported from India. After the initial discovery, the beetle turned up in a potpourri product in a Florida Wal-Mart. These beetles have decimated pine tree populations in India. "This latest episode is further evidence that U.S. policy is still no match for the dangers we face," said Dr. Phyllis Windle, senior scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists. "Solutions to this problem require strong federal action such as passing the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act, screening organisms for invasiveness before they are imported, and funding a comprehensive program to detect new invaders early and respond to them rapidly when populations are small." Invasives enter the United States by a variety of pathways. For example, insects arrive in wood packaging, plants enter via the nursery or aquarium trade, and aquatic animals are introduced in ballast water. In 1993, the Office of Technology Assessment released the first comprehensive examination of invasive species and identified gaps in federal and state laws and regulations. "Existing policy and sheer luck have brought us some successes so far—brown tree snakes have been kept out of Hawaii and citrus long-horned beetle infestations have been wiped out—but the constant stream of new invasions shows that this is not enough," said Dr. Gabriela Chavarria, policy director at the National Wildlife Federation. "The bottom line is that we need to improve our policies so that 10 years from now, we report fewer failures like West Nile virus and more successes like the brown tree snake." |
