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Ecology & Environment
Mahesh

08/09/23 06:47 AM IST

Biodiversity loss

In News
  • The 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 human.
Major highlights
  • The 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 report has noted that the number of alien species (species introduced to new regions through human activities) has been rising continuously for centuries in all regions, but are now increasing at unprecedented rates, with increased human travel, trade and the expansion of the global economy.
  • 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.
  • The report further noted that many invasive alien species have been intentionally introduced for their perceived benefits, “without consideration or knowledge of their negative impacts’’ – in forestry, agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, or as pets.
  • Nearly 80% of the documented impacts of invasive species on nature’s contribution to people are negative.
  • The water hyacinth ranks as the world's most widespread invasive alien species on land.
  • Lantana, a flowering shrub, and the black rat hold the second and third positions on the global invasion scale.
  • The brown rat and house mouse are also widespread invaders.
  • Many invasive alien species were intentionally introduced for perceived benefits in sectors such as forestry, agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, and as pets.
  • Invasive alien species have played a significant role in 60% of documented global plant and animal extinctions.
  • These species are now recognized as one of the five primary drivers of biodiversity loss, alongside land and sea use change, direct exploitation of organisms, climate change, and pollution.
  • Nearly 80% of the documented impacts of invasive species on nature’s contribution to people are negative.
Invasive species
  • Invasive alien species, also known as invasive exotic species or non-native species, refer to organisms that have been introduced to regions or ecosystems outside of their native range and have established self-sustaining populations.
  • These species often outcompete native species and disrupt the balance of ecosystems, leading to a range of negative impacts.
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.
  • 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.
Source- Indian Express

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