• Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) in its new publication – the “Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and their Control’’ – has found that there are 37,000 alien species, including plants and animals, that have been introduced by many human activities.

IAS are plants, animals, pathogens and other organisms that are non-native to an ecosystem, and which may cause economic, environmental harm or adversely affect human health.

• These include more than 3,500 invasive alien species and that invasive alien species have played a key role in 60% of global plant and animal extinctions recorded.

• The report says invasive alien species are one of the five major direct drivers of biodiversity loss globally, alongside land and sea use change, direct exploitation of organisms, climate change, and pollution.
• The study, which has taken place over a period of four years, has been by 86 leading experts from 49 countries, drawing on more than 13,000 references.
• About 6% of alien plants; 22% of alien invertebrates; 14% of alien vertebrates; and 11% of alien microbes are known to be invasive, posing major risks to nature and to people.
• Nearly 80% of the documented impacts of invasive species on nature’s contribution to people are negative.
• Exmaples
  • The water hyacinth is the world’s most widespread invasive alien species on land.
  • Lantana, a flowering shrub, and the black rat are the second and third most widespread globally.
  • The brown rat and the house mouse are also widespread invasive alien species.

 

ABOUT IPBES

• IPBES is an independent intergovernmental body established to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services, working in a similar way to the IPCC, which is the UN’s climate science body.
• It has 143 member States including India.
• Established in 2012 on the basis of Busan outcome document.
• Seat of secretariat is located in Bonn, Germany.