TY - JOUR
T1 - The escalating global problem of accidental human-mediated transport of alien species
T2 - A case study using alien herpetofauna interceptions in New Zealand
AU - Pili, Arman N.
AU - Tingley, Reid
AU - van Winkel, Dylan
AU - Maria, Lisa
AU - Chapple, David G.
N1 - Funding Information:
ANP was supported by Monash University Faculty of Science's Dean's Postgraduate Research Scholarship (DPRS) and Dean's International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (DIPRS). RT was supported by an Australian Research Council DECRA. DGC was supported by an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT200100108).
Funding Information:
ANP was supported by Monash University Faculty of Science's Dean's Postgraduate Research Scholarship (DPRS) and Dean's International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (DIPRS). RT was supported by an Australian Research Council DECRA. DGC was supported by an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship ( FT200100108 ). We dedicate this study to the late Tony Whitaker as the instigator and developer of the MPI's alien herpetofauna database. We thank Adam Toomes and Phill Cassey for sharing their species list of accidentally transported alien herpetofauna in Australia.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2023/2
Y1 - 2023/2
N2 - The global problem of biological invasions will continue escalating, given inadequate biosecurity worldwide. Developing stringent biosecurity is hindered by the lacking essential information on the global flows of alien species, especially alien species accidentally transported and neglected by biosecurity due to inapparent economic significance. We provide evidence and new perspectives on the temporal, geographical, taxonomic, and transport sub-pathway dimensions of the global flows of neglected alien species, using alien amphibians and reptiles (“herpetofauna”) accidentally transported to New Zealand as a case study (2610 records from 1929 to 2021). We decomposed and forecasted the alien herpetofauna transport frequency using locally-weighted smoothing and dynamic regression modelling. We explored geographical patterns of the alien herpetofauna origins and destinations, and explored temporal trends in species diversity. Finally, we analysed a species×transport sub-pathway network to elucidate the diversity of sub-pathways used by alien herpetofauna. Alien herpetofauna transport frequency is generally increasing, with fluctuations coinciding with changes in biosecurity and economic expansion and recessions. The most recent decline was during the COVID-19 recession, but we forecast transport to recover. Two hundred and forty-three alien herpetofauna worldwide arrived at ports of entry across New Zealand. Alien herpetofauna were accidentally transported through 13 sub-pathways, primarily as stowaways in 'personal effects and household goods', and in 'machinery, vehicles, and equipment'. Our study illuminates that neglected alien species' transport frequency, spatial extent of origins and destinations, species diversity, and accidental transport sub-pathways are hugely underestimated and dynamic. These crucial oversights in the global flows of alien species significantly impede biosecurity worldwide.
AB - The global problem of biological invasions will continue escalating, given inadequate biosecurity worldwide. Developing stringent biosecurity is hindered by the lacking essential information on the global flows of alien species, especially alien species accidentally transported and neglected by biosecurity due to inapparent economic significance. We provide evidence and new perspectives on the temporal, geographical, taxonomic, and transport sub-pathway dimensions of the global flows of neglected alien species, using alien amphibians and reptiles (“herpetofauna”) accidentally transported to New Zealand as a case study (2610 records from 1929 to 2021). We decomposed and forecasted the alien herpetofauna transport frequency using locally-weighted smoothing and dynamic regression modelling. We explored geographical patterns of the alien herpetofauna origins and destinations, and explored temporal trends in species diversity. Finally, we analysed a species×transport sub-pathway network to elucidate the diversity of sub-pathways used by alien herpetofauna. Alien herpetofauna transport frequency is generally increasing, with fluctuations coinciding with changes in biosecurity and economic expansion and recessions. The most recent decline was during the COVID-19 recession, but we forecast transport to recover. Two hundred and forty-three alien herpetofauna worldwide arrived at ports of entry across New Zealand. Alien herpetofauna were accidentally transported through 13 sub-pathways, primarily as stowaways in 'personal effects and household goods', and in 'machinery, vehicles, and equipment'. Our study illuminates that neglected alien species' transport frequency, spatial extent of origins and destinations, species diversity, and accidental transport sub-pathways are hugely underestimated and dynamic. These crucial oversights in the global flows of alien species significantly impede biosecurity worldwide.
KW - Accidental transport
KW - Amphibians and reptiles
KW - Biosecurity
KW - Border control
KW - Global flows
KW - Invasive alien species
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85146601218&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109860
DO - 10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109860
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85146601218
SN - 0006-3207
VL - 278
JO - Biological Conservation
JF - Biological Conservation
M1 - 109860
ER -