Invasive or alien species of plants, animals, or other organisms not native to an area have real monetary implications on a nation.
These costs include controlling the spread and repairing the damage of these introduced species on agriculture, human health, and infrastructure.
What economic burden do invasive species pose?
According to the National Invasive Species Information Center, invasive alien species cost the global economy at least $1.288 trillion over 50 years, leading up to a 2021 report.
However, according to a study published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, that trillion-dollar figure is "a substantial underestimation," as the study's language reads, of the true economic burden of invasive species globally.
Reviewing the economic data of 162 invasive species whose costs were well-documented worldwide, the researchers estimated the invasive species' costs for 78 additional countries with missing data, as The Independent summarized.
Based on this model, the researchers estimated that the real global cost for invasive species could have reached closer to $35 billion per year over the last 60 years, which could bring the total cost to $2.1 trillion as a high-end estimate, according to the Doñana Biological Station, which participated in the study.
"Plants were the most economically damaging group, both for damage and management," the study's lead author, Ismael Soto, noted, per Agence France-Presse, as Phys.org shared.
Why are invasive species concerning?
Invasive species can cause harm to crops, livestock, human health, and infrastructure, requiring significant amounts of money to control and repair.
The populations of spotted lanternflies, for example, a planthopper native to southeastern Asia, have surged in cities like New York.
As Jacob Leeser, a member of the Cornell Integrated Pest Management team, explained to the New York Post, lanternfly eggs have hatched earlier this year than usual due to warmer-than-average temperatures.
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Absolutely 💯 Without human intervention, these invasive insects can destroy fruit crops, including apples and grapes, and infect other host trees, including maples and walnuts, producing economic losses in crop yields and land management.
Other invasive insects, like the Asian longhorned tick, carry bloodborne illnesses that can develop into more serious health conditions if left untreated.
Invasive plants, the largest costly sector for the global economic burden of invasive species, can push out native plants and disrupt the balance of a local ecosystem.
More frustrating, invasive species like Japanese knotweed can grow through concrete and damage infrastructure, including roads and property foundations.
Removing persistent invasive plants requires time and effort, and repairing the damage caused by invasive plants costs money.
What is being done to tackle invasive species?
While tackling invasive species may seem like a losing battle, as they grow in numbers or spread aggressively and easily dominate new environments, volunteers and organizations are still fighting the good fight.
For example, volunteers with the Pisgah Conservancy and EcoForesters helped eradicate invasive vines and shrubs choking out native plant species in the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina.
Meanwhile, a father-daughter duo in Weymouth, Massachusetts, has created a crab broth powder using the invasive European green crab, helping to reduce populations of the invasive species in Massachusetts' waters.
A lake restoration project initiated by the North Oaks Homeowners' Association is tackling invasive buckthorn on the lake shoreline and planting native plants to support a healthier ecosystem for aquatic life.
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