Turbelin A.J., Cuthbert R.N., Essl F., et al. (2023). Biological invasions are as costly as natural hazards. Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation, 21(2), 143-150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecon.2023.03.002

Summary

The authors utilized global and regional damage cost data (i.e., reported economic losses) for invasive species and natural hazards to compare the total costs of biological invasions with hazards of societal concern, including storms, earthquakes, flood, drought, and wildfire. They also examined temporal trends among biological invasion and natural hazard costs to compare their rates of change. Whereas the impacts by individual invasive species often accrue gradually, the collective impacts of biological invasions over time are massive and the authors found that globally between 1980 and 2019 (~40 years), economic losses from biological invasions were of similar magnitude to natural hazards (e.g., $1,208.0 billion $US for invasions against $1,913.6 bn for storms and $1,139.4 bn for earthquakes). Alarmingly, the costliest biological invasion rankings compared to natural hazards were found in the Pacific and Oceania region, an area that is already disproportionately impacted by climate-induced hazards. Although damages from biological invasions have been shown to be high, societal concern has been insufficient to warrant adequate management investment by decision makers.

Management Implications

• Biological invasions are not often thought of as a type of natural disaster or hazard (e.g., floods, earthquakes, wildfires), but they are comparable in cost and reflect an enormous and increasing burden on societies worldwide.
• The damage cost of biological invasions is increasing at a faster rate than the cost of many natural hazards, which highlights the growing need for proactive responses.
• Countries and communities take measures to prevent or reduce the impacts of natural hazards because their costs are deemed unacceptable. Given the comparable – or even greater – damages that biological invasions pose, the same precautionary approach should be applied.

Take Home Points

• Damage costs from biological invasions are similar in magnitude to acute natural hazards such as storms, floods, wildfire, and earthquakes. But unlike many natural hazards, the human-mediated movement of species can be slowed or prevented.
• Global biological invasion costs ranked second only to storms and increased by 702% over the last four decades. In the U.S., the percentage increase in biological invasions damage costs was more than twice that of all natural hazards.
• In Oceania & the Pacific region, the damage cost of biological invasions over the last four decades far exceeded the cost of all other natural hazards in the region and was more than the sum of all other natural hazards combined.
• The past management of biological invasions has rarely been proactive and is often delayed, with a focus on more costly efforts with a lower chance of success after an invasion has already occurred. This study points towards the increasing cost effectiveness of proactive management such as strengthening biosecurity to prevent the introduction of invasive species.