NUMBER 9 7 1999

(GISP) The Global Invasive Species Programme:

Toolkit for Early Warning and Management

The Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP) [See Aliens 7], in which IUCNis a partner, held a workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 22 -27 March1999. This meeting, which was funded primarily by the Global Environment

-Facility, was a collaborative effort by two sections of GISP: the Managementsection (chaired by Jeff Waage of CABI Bioscience) and the Early'WamingSystems section (chaired by Mick Clout). The meeting had 29 participants(including several ISSG members), from 13 countries. .

Our two sections of GISP decided last year that we wo~ld cooperate closely inpreparing tools to help developing countries (especially small island develop-ing states) to deal with the threats to their biodiversity which are posed byinvasive species. The Kuala Lumpur workshop therefore had as its major aimthe drafting of toolkit for early warning and management of invasive speciesproblems in such developing countries.

In order to do this, participants first presented the particular problems faced bytheir home countries, such as poor telecommunications infrastructures, or lackof awaren~ss of the invasive species problem. They then discussed what the"toolkit" might consist of; or which is the best way to reverse the increasingnumbers of invasions experienced.

Early warning of incipient invasions can only be achieved if people are awareof both the po~ential extent of damage, and the likelihood that it will occur.Management (not merely to prevent single species invasions, but also to re-store entire systems) will probably only be effective, firstly if early warningsystems evolve and people use them, and secondly ifcontingency plans forrapid response to new invasions are designed and set in motion. Much of thediscussion centred a(oundmaking the document P~CTICAL and REALIS-TIC.

Sponsored by:

Consensus was reached on the fonnat and content of the toolkit, which willinclude a manual on prevention and management of invasive species and asupporting international database on their characteristics. Both could be tai-1ored to meet regional needs. By the end of the meeting the fIrst draft of ageneric manual had been completed and there was endorsement of the designfor an international invasive species database. The pilot version of this (beingprepared by Sarah Lowe and Philip Thomas of ISSG) will be the database ofthe World's 100 Worsflnvasive Species, supported by the TOTAL Foundation.

Manaaki WhenuaLandcare Research

ISSN: 1173-5988Mick Clout (ISSG Chair) and Sarah Lowe (ISSG)

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Ants on Asian mainland Mauritius update : , Notes Plant invaders in Reunion Nordic Countries hlitiative , White Headed-Duck Ligustrum robustum

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Island, with disastrous consequences.Also known as the long-Iegged ant,Anoplolepis is a well-known "tramp"species, and has now achieved analmost pan-tropical distribution. It isa stowaway, traveling the world asconcealed cargo; one rumour is thatAnoplolepis reached the island ofMahe in the Seychelles hidden in abag of rice. This invasive alien ant haswreaked untold (and usuallyundocumented) environmentaldamage on.maily tropical oceanicIslands, most notably Hawaii and the

Seychelles, through direct impacts on

the hordes of brighrred land crabs thatmarch to the sea each year, rain foreston the island ha's remainedremarkably free of alien invaders evenafter a century of human occupationand accompanying speciesintroductions. Christmas Island hasbeen a rare jewel among oceanicislands -maybe:, that is, until now.

The dramatic and rapid loss of nativebiodiversity follo",:ing theintroduction of the brown tree snaketo Guani, Miconia calvescens inTahiti, and avian malaria in Hawaiiare unhappy legacies illustrating thedevastating impact that single alieninvaders can wreak on island life.These and other catastrophes havereinforced the notion that isolatedislands are especially vulnerable toinvasion by exotic species, but wehave always regarded ChristmasIsland (Indi~ Ocean) as an exceptionto the rule. Perhaps best known for

Trouble has come to yet anotherisland paradise. Populations of theintroduced crilzy ant Anoplolepisgracilipes have now exploded inundisturbed rain forest on Christmas

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and exposure to the ants. Normally, thesecrabs are extremely abundant,reaching a mean density and biomassof 1.3 crabs per square meter and 1400kg per hectare. B y excluding red crabsfrom fenced experimental plots, andcomparing them to unfenced controls,we have established that this crab isthe dominant consumer on the forestfloor, controlling critical aspects ofecosystem function on the island. Byconsuming le:af litter, seeds andseedlings in a broad diet, this onespecies almost single-handedlycontrols the dynamics of seedlingrecruitlnent, litter accumulation anddecay, and nutrient cycling on theislan-d. Red crabs are largelyresponsible for the very openunderstorey and mostly bare groundin the rain forest, unique structuralfeatures for which the island is noted.

both native

invertebrates.

vertebrates make it. We have seen entiremigrations, involving tens ofthousands of red crabs, completelywiped out by crazy ants -in onesupercolony we counted an averageof six crab carcasses per square ineter.Presumably, the density of red crabsin source areas will eventuallydecrease, with the result that seedling,litter, and nutrient dynamics couldchange dramatically even in areas farremoved from crazy ant

supercolonies.

On Christmas Island, four keycharacteristics make it a particularlysignificant thre~t. First, like manyother tramp ants, Anoplolepis formssupercolonies, with multiple queensand little, if any, temtoriality betweencolonies. Supercolonies can extendover hectares and maintain densitiesof foraging workers on the forest floorin the order of 1000 ants per squaremetre. Second, they- construct nestsvirtually anywhere, including the soil,tree hollows, beneath rocks and underthick leaf litter. Third, crazy ants aregeneralist consumers and foragewidely, being predators of a widerange of invertebrates and smallvertebrates both on the forest floorand in the canopies of large trees.Fourth, this ant tends, protects andencourages the establishment of avariety of sap-sucking scale-insects,which can be debilitating to their host

plants.

Second, without exception, antsupercotony formation has beenassOciated with massive outbreaks ofseveral different scale insects, themost common and wide~pread ofwhich is the lac scale Tachardinaaurantiaca. Within supercolonies,hordes of worker ants ascend thetrunks of most large canopy trees togather honeydew from denseinfestations of sap-sucking scaleinsects, which they then retuni to theirnests and distribute to other membersof the colony. In several areas, scaleoutbreaks have been severe enough tocause exrensive canopy die-back, witha far greater p.roportion of dead anddying trees than in nearby areas freeof crazy ants. We also think that treesinfested with scale insects and theirattendant crazy ants may be sostressed, that rates of growth andf~cutldity may be significantly lowerthan in trees free of infestation.

In areas of supercolony formation,large tracts of forest have taken oncharacteristics which we hadpreviously only seen on our smallexperimental plots -the accumulationand persistence of a deep litter layer,and the establishment of an incrediblyabundant and diverse seedling

.community. Similar impacts may

even become apparent in areas remotefrom crazy ant supercolonies. Redcrabs make annual breedingmigrations, moving en masse from theforest interior to the coast to breed.Most crazy ant supercolonies are atlower elevations near the coast, so inseveral places, migrating red crabshave had to traverse the supercoloniesto reach the coast. It seems they never

Although the crazy ant was firstreported from the island some 55years ago, it wasn't until 1989 thatsupercolony formation was firstdetected, In December 1998 welocated supercolonies in at least eightlocations across the island, ranging inarea from several hectares to over 1krn2 and totalling 2-3% of the forestedarea on the island. The impact of thecrazy ant within areas of supercolonyformation is extraordinary. Theseeffects can be divided into threecat~gories: those associated withimpacts on the dominant red landcrab, those associated with theprobable mutualism between crazyants and scale insects, and thoserelated to effects on island species ofspecial conservation value.

Third, crazy ants directly threatenn~merous other species with highconservation value on Christmas

First, crazy ants annihilate residentpopulations of the endemic red landcrab, Gecarcoidea natalis, which isfound in rain forestall over the island.At this stage it is unclear how crazyants (5 mm long and 2 mg live weight)can kill such large crabs with heavilycalcified exoskeletons (to 120 mmcarapace width and >500 9 liveweight), but our observations suggestthat de:ath occurs within 24-36 h of

Island, particularly sea birds. For..c

example, the Island IS the odly knownnesting location for the endangeredAbbott's booby (Papasula abbot ti)and yulnerable Andrew's frigatebird(Fregata andrewsi), both of which nestin the canopies of rain forest trees.Given that crazy ants in the Seychellesare known to attack domestic dogs,chickens and pigs, it is notunreasonab)e to speculate that theseand other birds (both tree and ground-

frightening rate, in the order of 1-3 mper day in some locations. At that rate,it is not inconceivable that crazy antsmay completely over-run the forestedareas on Christmas Island ( ca. 100km2) within a few short years, withthe devastating consequences we haveoutlined above. Even if Anoplolepissupercolonies dissipate behind theadvancing front of invasion, structuralchanges in the forest precipitated bythe decimation of local land crab

conspecifics through trophallaxis,before the bait eventually kills them.Baiting entire supercolonies will beall but impossible, and at this stage,we favour a strategy of linriting thespread of existing infestations bybaiting along their boundaries. Theimpact of the baits on non-targetspecies will also have to be evaluated.However, to optinrize the allocationof limited human and financialresoUrces to combating this iJlvasion,we need to know much more aboutthe population dynamics ofAnop!olepis, the role of the putativeant-scale mutualism in the formationof ant supercolonies, and the widerimpacts of the invasion on the island'snative biota. Watch this space.

...entire migrations, involving

tens of thousands of red crabs,

completely wiped out by crazy

antsPeter 1: Green1, Dennis I. O'Dowd2

& R S. Lake2.populations wiJl persist for decades.nesters) are directly threatened byforaging crazy ants. In fact,

Anoplolepis supercolonies alreadyoverlap Abbott's booby nesting areasat several locations around the island.Christmas Island is also home to theworld's largest and most intactpopulation of the coconut crab Birguslatro, which like the red crab, is foundthroughout rain forest on the island.We have seen coconut crabs killed inlarge numbers by crazy ants in mostsupercolonies. In addition, severalendemic skinks and geckos, and innu-merable litter invertebrates, areprobably all vulnerable to extirpationin areas of crazy ant infestation.Recent reports from Bird Island in theSeychelles confirm our worst fearsabout the potential impact of crazyants on Christmas Island's biota,especially vertebrates. Anoplolepiswas first noticed there in 1991, andinfested ~bout half of this small (80ha) island by 1998. Where the ants areabundant, they haye caused the deathsof white tern Gygis alba chicks,caused the 'disappearance of theendemic skink Mab'uya seychellensis,and displaced some 60,000 breedingpairs of the sooty tern Sternafitscata.

Despite' this presage of doom, weclose on a note of optimism.Elsewhere, many biological invasionshave proceeded swiftly and silently.As a result, government agenciesoften find. themselves trying tomanage an already massive problemabout which they .kllow very lit tie,either in terms of the dynamics of theinvader, or itsiri:ipact on native biota.However in this case, we have pickedup on the spread of the crazy ant veryearly, and by virtue of our longassociation with the island, have beenable to appreciate the formidable andmanifold threats these ants pose toecosystem integrity on the island. Atthis stage we estimate that just a fewpercent of the island's forested areamay be affected, so there is still timeto act before crazy ant supercoloniesbecolfie so widespread that managingtheir invasion will be all butimpossible. However, action needs tobe taken now, Together withEnvironment Australia, we aredeveloping a plan that in the firstinstance will initiate an island-widesurvey of established and incipient antsupercolonies. Protocols forcontrolling Anoplolepis will also beassessed, incorporating the use ofbaits laced with the stomach toxicanthydra-methylnon. This is a slowacting poison, so worker ants havetime to ingest the bait, retUI:n it to theircolonies and distribute it to

Ip. 1: Green

Ecosystem Dynamics Group .Research School of Biological

Sciences

Australian National University,

Canberra, Australia 0200

for correspondence .

c/- Tropical Forest Research Centre,C. S. I. R. 0.R 0. Box 780, Atherton,Queensland, Australia 4883Fax: + 61740913245Email: peter:green@tfrc.csirQ.au

2D. Jo O'Dowd & P. So Lake

Centre for the Assessment and

Management of Biological[nvasions

Department of Biological Sciences

Monash University, Clayton,

Victoria, Australia 3[68

Fax: + 6[ 3 99055613

Dennis. Odowd @ scio monash. eduoau

SamoLake @ sci.monasho eduo au

We are concerned that if ieftunchecked on Christmas Island,Anoplolepis will have a catastrophicimpact on a rather unique, and untilnow, relatively pristine oceanic island.Our initial.observations indicate thatsupercolonies can advance at "a

4

In Issue No.6 of Aliens, James Wetterer discussed theecological impacts of exotic ant species in the islands ofthe Pacific. Such impacts have been documented for otherislands in the Pacific, Caribbean and Indian Ocean, inNorth and South America and in Australia (e.g. Williams,1994). However, very little has .

been written on the impact of ex-otic lints in continental Asia orAfrica, even .though these conti-nents contain vast tropical areas,in which the (mostly tropical orsubtropical) invasive ants mightprosper. This may pe primarilydue to the shortage of ac~ive antspecialists in the region, but per-haps also to the assumption thatthe continental tropics, with theirrich native fauna, are invulnerableto invasion. Is this the case? I willconsider an example from tropi-cill South China.

ranging species groups which have not been adequatelystudied (e.g. Plagiolepis "alluaudi", Paratrechina"sauteri", P. "bourbonica", Tapinoma"melanocephalum", Technomyrmex " albipes ", Lepisiota

"rothneyi" and Monomorium "floricola"): Still other antscannot be named to species~ dueto incomplete species descrip-tions, lost type material and alack of-recent study, but mightinclude lesser-known exotics.

There is currently no evidencethat any of these potentially in-vasive ant species are spreadingunchecked in natural (or semi-natural) ecosystems in HongKong. Outside urban areas, mostare known from only a handfulof sites in Hong Kong, Only Polongicornis, A. gracilipes, P." bourbonica " and 7: " albipes "

are both widespread and locallyabundant. Of ihesePo longicomisis largely commensal with ht1-man habitations. A. gracilipeshas successfully colonised manyfringe habitats, where frequenthuman disturbance (includingfIre) prevents succession ofveg~etation (and ants). P." b(Jurbonica " and 7: "albipes "

occur in both open and foresthabitats, but only T. "albipes"achieves very high local densi-ties, and this only at a few tinyforest fragments or forest edges.In short, where potentially inva-sive ants in Hong Kong thrive, itappears to be in ecosystemswhose paucity of ant species ismore likely due to habitat distur-bance than to the invasives them-selves. This could be becausethey have not yet reach~d the

more "natural" habitats, )(et for some of the species at least,with their proven di~persal abilities, this seems an unlikelyexplanation. The implication is that the native commu-nity of ants (and perhaps other fauna) has, where intact,provided a measure of resistance to invasion.

Hong Kong Special Administra-tive Region has a land area ofsome 1, 100'km2, including a sec-tion of the China mainland andseveral hundred islands up to 140km2 in size. The)and has had cen-turies of heavy human impact,and none of its primary forest re-mains. The deforested land hasproven amenable to the spread ofmany exotic species, including,some 150 to 300 vascular plants,birds such as the abundant red-whiskered bulbul Pycnonotusjocosus, and invertebrates such asthe giant African land snailAchatina fulica (Dudgeon &Corlett, 1994). Of some 160 antspecies recorded in Hong Kong(Fellowes, 1996 and unpublished)only a few are known to be ex-otic in origin: these include thefire ant Solenopsis geminata from South America; thebig-headed ant Pheidole megacephala, the dacetonineQuadristruma emmae and crazy ant Paratrechinalongicomis from Africa; the pharaoh' s ants M onomorium'pharaonis and Monomorium destructor from India. Noneof these are very widespread outside urban areas. Anumber of other species are possibly exotic, but haveuncertain natural distributions, belonging either to gen-era centered elsewhere (e.g. the long-legged antAnoplolepis gracilipes, formerly longipes), or to wide-

However, habitat disturbance cannot be overlooked inconsidering the impact of exotic species. Much of the landin South China, and indeed tropical Asia, has been heav-ily modified by human activities such as agriculture, for-

Dudgeon, D. &R.T. Corlett, 1994. Hillsand Streams: An Ecology of Hong

Kong. Hong Kong Ul1iversity Press,

Hong Kong.

estry .and urban development, result.:ing in drastically impoverished nativeinsect communities. These are likelyto be more vulnerable to invasion thanHong Kong's semi-natural terrestrialecosystems. Even where agriculturalactivity has been abandoned, the re-covery of the native commuliity is notguaranteed. During a recent field visitto an area of Lantau Island (HongKong's largest island, less than 2 kmfrom the mainland), ecologistsfoimdonly two ant species, R megacephalaand A. gracilipes. The former, re-nowned as a threat to native inverte-brate communities elsewhere (e.g.Hoffmann, 1998), occurred in particu-larly high numbers, and had pen-etrated a small forest as w~1l as theabandoned farmland surrounding it.Local resistance was not, it would

seem, insuperable.

cess of exotic ants in 'intact' ecosys-tems; such an understanding mighteven enable their effective control in

agricultural landscapes, by modifyingfringe habitats to the advantage oftheir enemies. Where agriculture SUf-rounds and even encroaches into na-ture reserves, as in South China, suchhabitat management may prove im-portant in the conservation of forest

biodiversity.

Fe11owes, J.R., 1996. CommunityComposition of Hong Kong Ants:Spatial and Seasonal Patterns. Ph.D.thesis, The Universi0/ o(Hong Kong.

Hoffmann, B.D., 1998. The Big-headedAnt Pheidole megacephala: a newthreat to monsoonal northwesternAustralia. Pacific Conservation Biology4, 250-255.

Traditional Chinese medicine putsgreat emphasis on maintaining thenatural balance of the body, ratherthan treating the symptoms of extremedeviations. This principle could use-fully be applied to ecosystems; aba-sic step is to ensure that the presenceand prevalence of exotic species isbeing monitored. Thus to JamesWetterer's concern for island faunas,I would add a plea for information ontheir continental counterparts. Theymay be able to take care of them-selves, but we can't be sure of it!

Wetterer, J.K., 1997. Alien ants of thePacific Islands. Aliens 6, 3-4.

Williams, D.F. (ed.), 1994. Exotic Ants'Biology, Impact, and Control ofIntroduced Species. Westview Press,Boulder,USA,& Oxford, UK.

Is fuis the shape of things to come inSouth China? Or is it an aberration, amomentary insurgence to be crushedby native species and their superioradaptations to local ~onditions? Tomake such predictions, we need anjmproved knowledge of the interac-tions between species, as well as theirclimate tolerances. It is crucial to findout what, if anything, 1imits the suc-

John R. PellowesSenior Conservation OfficerKadoorie Farm & Botanic GardenLam Kam ~oad, Tai PoNew Territories

Hong KongChinaTel: (852) 24839534Fax: (852) 24831877 .

Email: kjjif@hk.super:net

Thanks to Barry Bolton (British Natu-rat History Museum, UK) for infor-mation on ant distributions, andGraham Reels (Kadoorie Farm &Botanic Garden, Hong Kong) forspecimen collection and comments.

. 0. O 8 O 8 0.0.0.0.

In Aliens 5 the successful eradicationsof mice from Cocos and SablesIslands (Rodrigues ), black rat fromGabriel Island, and brown rat andblack-naped hares from GunnersQuoin were reported. All theseeradications were successful;however, on Gunners Quoin someirresponsible person has releasedrabbits. It is hoped that these can beremoved using bait left over from aneradication programme on Flat Island.

introduced weed, scrub and grass. Thework was carried out by a team fromWildlife Management InternationalLimited (New Zealand) and wasassisted throughout by National Parksand Conservation Service andMauritius Wildlife Appeal Fund staff.

While we believe total eradication hasbeen achieved, we will have to waitfor the resul~s of two years monitoringbefore we can be absolutely sure. Ifthe programme was successful, it willbe one of the largest islands fromwhich the black rat has been removed.The removal of these animals opensthe way for further restoration of thehabitat by weed control and plantingof indigenous species. Later the islandcould be used for translocation ofsome of the endeIIric bird and reptile

species.

The island had to have grid lines cutevery 25 metres and the bait laid outevery 25 metres along these. The baitused was Pestoff (active ingredient.02% brodifacoum) produced byAnimal Control Products, NewZealand. This accounted for all therodents and at least one cat bysecondary poisoning. Another cat wastrapped and killed. The cat populationwas thought to have been only a fewstray animals left behind by visitors.

Flat Island was the focus of a rodentand feral cat eradi~ation programmeduring September and Octeber 1998.This island, 253 ha, had a populationof black rats (Rattus rattus), mouse(Mus mus6ulus) and feral cat. Theisland is covered mainly with

Brian D. BellManaging DirectorWildlife Management InternationalLimited

6

XIX Pacific Science Congress July 4-9, 1999 Sydney, Australia

Introduced and invasive biotaSymposium

Introduced and invasive biota are a majotsymposium topic of the XIX Pacific Science Congress, to beheld July 4- 9, 1999 at UNSW, Sydney. The symposium Will be divided into four sections:

~arine organisms and ballast waterinvasive terrestrial plantst-errestrial invertebratesvertebrates

:.,\",1..';-

l\'lRegistration details and instructions for abstracts are available on the web:http: / / Www.icmsaust.com.au / / Paci£icScience / or from

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Daniel J. BickelEntomology SectionAustralian Museum6 College Street

SydneyNSW 2000AUSTRALIATel: 61-2-9320-6347Fax: 61-2-9361-5479e-mail: danb@amsg.austmus.gov.au

Workshop: Methods to control and eradicate

non-native terrestrial vertebrates, Malta,

3-5 June 1999

A workshop on "Methods to control and eradicate non-native terrestrial vertebrates" willbe held in Malta on 3-5 June 1999. For more informatiQn, contact theorganiser:

Gianluca SilvestriniEnvironment Conservation and Management and Regional Plartnirig pivisionCouncil of EuropeF-67075 Strasbourg Cedex -FranceTel (+33) 3 8841 35 59Fax (+33) 388413751E-mail: gianluca.silvestrini@coe,fr

Web: http: / /www.coe.fr / eng / act-e / eenviro.hbn

7

The Greater New England Symposium onthe Ecology of Invasive Species

Proceedings of the Workshop on Databasesfor Nonindigenous Plants [USA]

The Greater New England Symposium on the Ecologyof Invasive Species took place on February 27, 1999 atYale University. Titles and authors are posted, andabstracts from this meeting are now available on theWeb in the form of a downloadable PDF file. Theabstracts will also be posted in html format shortly.

Gainesvi11e, FloridaSeptember 24-25, 1997

By Colette C. Jacono and Charles p Boydstun.U.S. Geological Survey in Cooperation with FederalInteragency Committee for the Management of Noxiousand Exotic Weeds and National Biological InformationInfrastructurehttp ://nas .er. us gs. goy /publications/plants/

plant- workshop/npwrkshp/

At the present time, we are being hosted by the YaleForest Forum Web page and so our page does not have adirect URL. To reach the page go to:http://www.yale.edulyfflhtmVhome.html and scroll downto 'Education and Outreach', click on forums, and thenon The Greater New England Symposiumon the Ecology of Invasive Species.

Alien Invading Plants and Water Resourcesin South Africa

Scientific papers from the Symposium will also appearin a special issue 9f the journal Biological Invasions,with publication expected late 1999.

Laura Meyerson and Elizabeth FarnsworthLaura.ahearn @yale.edu

Invasive Alien Species: A Summary of?ublic Dialogue Exploring New Solutions toan Ofd Persistent Problem

A very imoportant publication was recently publishedby the Water Research Commission of SA" AlienInvading Plants and Water Resources in South Africa"D B Versfeld, D C Le Maitre and R A Chapman. WRCReport Do Tf 99/98. Sept. 1998. ISBN 1 86845 360 x.Obtainable from :The WRC, Box 824, Pretoria 000 I.E-mail order: hugo@wrc.org.zaIt is worth reading the book (200 pp).

A symposium, "Invasive Alien Species: A Summary ofPublic Dialogue Exploring New Solutions to an OldPersistent Problem" was held ~t Yale on May 6, 1998hosted and coordinated by the Yale Forest Forum, tofoster dIscussion and feedback in the lead up to theExecutive Order [USA].

Communicted by

Dr H G Zimmermann

Agricultural Research Council

Plant protection Research Centre

Weeds Research Division

Private Bag X134

PRETORIA

0001

SOUTH AFRICA

Tel: +27-12329-3276

Fax: +27-12329-3278

A summary of is available on the Web athttp:/ /www .yale.edulyff/html/body -invasive.html.The complete summary must be downloaded. A hardcopy is also available.

Contact: Keri Gibson at yff@yale.edu.

8

welcome, on the topics indicated and others fallingwithin the scope of the Conference.

Sth International Conference on theEcology of Invasive Alien Plants13-16 October, 1999La Maddalena, Sardinia -ITAL y See also: http:llwww.botany.org/bsa/announcel

iceiap.htmlInvasions of plant species have for a long time drawnthe attention of botanists, agronomist and ecologists.Although this resulted in an ever-increasing body ofscientific literature on "invasion biology" we still do notcompletely understand all aspeCts of this process and itsimpact on ecosystems. This Conference will be thecontinuation of a series of meetings that started in 1992in Loughborough, GB, and was continued in Kostelec,~zech Republic, in 1993, in Tempe, AZ, USA in 1995and in Berlin, Germany, in October 1997. Itwill offerthe chance to continue discussions of its predecessorsand concentrate on issues identified as important during

preceding meetings.

Dr Giuseppe Brundu

c/o Dipartimento di Botanica ed Ecologia Vegetale

Universita di Sassari

Via F. Muroni, 25

07100 Sassari -Italy

e-mail:

gbrundu@tin.it

gbrundu@boxl.tin.itph. + 390335237315

fax + 39 079 233600

Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Initiative(TERI)CONFERENCE TOPiCS

You are invited to make an active contribution; ple~se,share your experience, problems, ideas and propositionwith other participants. We propose the following

topics:

The Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Initiative (TERI)was set up under the European Union (EU) FollrthFramework Research Programme as an umbrellaorganisation for EU funded ecosystem research. TERI(http://www.nbu.ac.uk/terica/) is currently addressingthe issue of areas of ecosystem research neglected underFramework Four (the most recent five year rollingprogramme of EU research) and identifying prioritiesfor research under the forthcoming Framework FiveResearch Programme. One area that has been identifiedis the issue of Aliens and Outbreak Species in Europe.

A small workgroup to address this issue in its Europeancontext was planned for the 17th and 18th February1999 at the University of Durham, UK.

More irifonnatioff

(a) What makes a plant invasive?(b) How can the effectS (e.g. economic) of plantinvasions be assessed?{c)Costleffect analyses of control measures(d) Early warning. risk analyses( e) Habitats management and trophic interactions(f) Policies(g) Invasive Plants and National Parks. NatureReserves. Protected Areas. Botanical Gardens.Historical Gardens. Parks in Town(h) Invasive Plants in Mediterranean Agro-Ecosystems

(i) Modeling plant invasions. computer simulations.Geographical Inform~tion Systems and othermechanisms for compiling information: their uses andmisuses.There will also be room for reports on individual casestudies.

PAPERSWe are looking forward to your presentation. Papers,Posters, Video Presentations Or any other newtechnologies in sharing your experiences are

Philip Hulme,Department of Biological Sciences,University ofDurham,Durham. DH1 3LE. UKTel +44-191-374-3353Fax +44-191-374.:2417E-mail p.e.hulme@durham.ac.ukhttp: /lwww. du1: ac. ukl-dblOwww/Staff/H ulme/hulme.html

9

which covers the herbaceous savannahs subject tosalted spindrifts, with impenetrable thorny thick-ets. It is also the case of Acacia meamsii, which,600 m up, invades the fallow lands of the West andthe South. At medium altitude, the gullies and thevalley-bottoms which have been severely clearedin the past, sometimes shelter real oceans ofLantana camara or Rubus alceifolius .

Several waves of plant importation have upset thelandscapes of Reunion Island in less than 350 years.In 1989, one could count 1,052 introduced flower-ing plants in the natural or semi-natural environ-ment of Reunion Island, compared to 675 indig-enous ones. Of the total numb.er, 620 (36 %) arenon-naturalized introductions, 432 (25 %) are natu-ralized and the 675 indigenous ones make up only39 %. Some of the naturalized plants have rapidlyrevealed themselves to be invading, some sixty ofthem upsetting the structure of the natural surround-ings and disturbing the ecological process involved.

The littoral zones are equally very affected by theseinvasions. Recently, Schinus terebenthiflius hasupset the vegetative areas of huniid zones, Just upfrom the beach, the shore is disfigured by Prosopisjuliflora,which stretches over the whole of the lit-toral, in the North and West of the island, causingproblems for seaside resort tourism.

The last relics of the semi,.dry forest are nowadaysthe most threatened by several invading plants.Among these is Hyptage bengha1ensis, which in-vades by literally smothering the indigenous treesunder an inextricable green fleece. At a higher alti-tude, the underwoods are locally affected by a pro-fusion of Ligustrum robustum ssp. walkeri, whichendangers regeneration of indigenous plants.Leucaena leucocephala, which was already con-sidered as invading at the end of the la~t century,only grows well in the most degraded areas.

University studies are starting which will providethe means to evaluate and grade the ecological im:pact of the invading plants. Moreover, since 1997,two research programmes have been financed bythe local collectivities (Region-Reunion) in ordet:to identify methods of biological control againstRubus alceifolius and Ligustrum robustum ssp.walkeri. As with any biological control method, itwill be necessary to find biocontrol agents that arevery specifi~ to the targeted species.

The rainforest presents relatively circumscribedspots of plant invasions. The latter are mainly madeup of Rubus alceifolius, Psidium cattleianum andSyzygium jambos. These species, with a few geo-graphical exceptions, remain localized and don'tstand out as.a blemish in the little disturbed naturalsurroundings. But it is not the same, either forHedychiumjlavescenswhich, year after year, un-rolls a continuous sward of rhizomes preventingany regeneration of native flora, or for Fuchsialnagellanica which shoots up the steepest slopesby climbing on to the indigenous vegetation.

For the future, we have to further promote publicawareness, more particularly to check imports. Inaddition, prograIi1mes of regional cooperation withthe other islands of the Occidental Indian Oceanwould be desirable.

Jacques TassinClRAD-Foret, 7, chemin de l'IRA1; LigneParadis, 97410 Saint-Pierre, FranceE-mail: tassin@cirad.fr

The most disturbed mountain rainforests like theforests of Acacia heterophylla on the western slopesare locally threatened by the competition of Aca-cia meamsii.ln various places, the ericold vegeta-tion of high altitudes is itself supplanted little bylittle by the development of Ulex europae~s. Inaddition. all of the formations at high altitude arejeopardized by the spreading of graminacea (Holcuslanatus, Anthoxanthum odoratum) which encour-age outbreaks of fire.

[Also see page 131

The agricultural areas that are very disturbed arethe scene of invasions by undesirable plants as well.Some woody mimosacea can't be mastered with-out the assistance of heavy engines and at very highcosts. This is the case of Dichrostachys cinerea,

10

Introduced Species in the N ordic Countries

N ordic Council of Ministers (NMR) proj ect

share borders and the species that act as invaders are oftenthe SaD1e, hence it is very relevant to share infoimationbetween those countries.

The Nordic Council of Ministers (NMR) has funded aproject "Introduced Species in the Nordic Countries". Thecountries participating in this project are Iceland, Sweden,Finland, Norway and Denmark. The project aim is to makean inventory of the effects of introduced species in theNordic countries (including .ecological and economiceffe.cts ). The project includes only introduced species thatcould potentially damage the natural/semi naturalecosystems/habitats, not those species that are agriculturalor forestry pests.

We now have our first version of this Internet based listof researchers and adrninistratorsin tbe field of introducedspecies. The short name of the list is NNIS and its locationis: http://www.sns.dk/natur/nnis/indexuk.htm

It is our hope that the list will be of use for you andyour colleagues in the field of introduced species: Forfurther information about the projectplease contact myself:

The resulting report, which will be published in English,will discuss selected cases from the marine, freshwaterand terrestrial biomes. A list of introduced species foundin the countries involved will be prepared for each of thesethree biomes. Furthermore the report will containsuggestions for a Nordic policy on the area.

Another product of the project has been to assemble a listof addresses and keywords for a wide range ofknowledgeable Nordic scientist and administrators withinthe area of introduced species. The aim of this list is toallow administrators and scientist easy access to eachother, even between countries. The countries involved

Inger WeidemaBotanicallnstitute

Ecology departmentUniversity of CopenhagenK-Oester Farimagsgade 2DCopenhagen KDenmarkTLF: +453532 2298FAX: +4535322321E-mail: IngerW@bot.ku.dk

11

The problem caused by the migr:ation of the Ruddy Ducksand their expansion into Europe is that they are aggressiveand mate with the White-headed Ducks, producing a fertilehybrid. The greatest threat to the White-headed buckcomes from hybridisation and competition with the Ruddy

Duck.

On 1 February 1999 UK Environment Minister MichaelMeacher announced that he has accepted therecommendation of the White-headed Duck Task Forcethat there should be a trial to establish whether it is feasibleto reduce the numbers of the introduced North AmericanRuddy Duck (Oxyurajamaicensis) in the United Kingdom.

Research into the population change of Ruddy Ducksfollowing their introduction to the UK shows how numbershave increased and the range widened over the years. Thepattern of continental occurrence correlates with the UKincrease and did not begin until they were well establishedin the UK. A study of Ruddy Ducks in mainland Europeshows there is no other source that could account for thenumber of birds occurring in the wild on the continent.

The trial will establish whether it is feasible to move on toa larger control strategy, to find out what the cost of thiswould be, and to assess the implications for landowners;it will be carried out by the Central Science Laboratoryunder contract in three areas of Great Britain -the WestMidlands, Anglesey and Fife.

Apart from protecting the remaining Western Europeanpopulation of the White-headed Duck, if no action tocontrol Ruddy Ducks is taken soon, the Ruddy Duck islikely to reach the key White-headed Duck breeding sitesfurther east. Individual Ruddy Ducks have already been

sighted in Turkey.

Background

The Ruddy Duck was introduced into the UK in the 1950s.Some Ruddy Ducks brought there as captive birds escapedto the wild, and experienced a rapid population growth,with a tenfold increase between 1975 and 1990. The UKpopulation now numbers around 4,000 birds.

Source:Press release from the UK Department of the Environment,

Transport,and the Regions, Issued Monday I February

1999

The White-headed Duck Task Force was announced byMichael Meacher on 6 July 1998. It was set up torecommend the best scientific and cost effective methodof carrying out a controlled reduction in numbers of theRuddy Duck in order to assess whether it is necessary andpracticable to move to a larger control strategy.

[Also see: Aliens 1, March 1995, page 10]

In the late 1970s, the Western European population of theWhite-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala), located inSpain, had declined to a number of only 22 birds. Actionby the Spanish authorities through the protection of sitesand the banning of hunting has helped to increase the totalnumber of birds to aroundl,OOO.

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11

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12

The invasive behaviour and the biological control of

Ligustrum robustum subsp. walkeri on the Mascarene

island of La Reunion

The native ecosystems of the IndianOcean Mascarene Islands arecharacterised by high levels ofendemicity (72 % of the Angiospermflora can be found nowhere else) andhabitat destruction due to humanactivities as. well as biologicalmvaslons.

late 1997 by the ONF of La Reunionwith the work being carried out byCABI Bioscience-UK Centre(fonnerly the International Institute ofBiological Control). This is thoughtto be the firstbiocontrol programmeagainst environmental weeds forFrance and such an approach hasnever been used against any membersof the Oleaceae.This project is fundedby the Regional Council of LaReunion with support by theEuropean Union (EEC) and is beingrun concmrently with that of CIRAD-Montpellier (Fr) against Rubusalceifolius. Collaboration with thePost -Graduate Institute of Agrjculture(pGIA), University of Peraderiiya, SriLanka should enable continue;ddetailed surveying for natural enemiesand a comparative study of theecology of the plant in Sri Lanka andLa Reunion to be undertaken. TheflfSt collaborative research project onthe ecological aspect was initia.ted bya scientist from the University of LaReunion until 1996.

enemies, and several potential agents,both fungal and arthropod, have beencollected and identified.Pathogenicity studies have begun onthose plant pathogens colJected(mostly hemibiotrophic members ofthe Dothideales) and host rangeexperiments are underway on twomoth species and several chrysomelidbeetles., Further surveys are nowplanned to include the area of originof the genus Ligustrum, believed tobe South China and Vietnam, wherethe greatest diversity of naturalenemies are likely to be found. Suchsurveys may also be of benefit toAmerica and Australasia where otherLigustrum species are rapidlybecoming serious invasive weeds.

More than 98 % of the archipelago'sprimary vegetation remnants arefound in La Reunion (FrenchOverseas Department of France), dueto the fact that 40 % of the island aremanaged by the National ForestOffice (O~ and most of the nativeforest areas are protected. Rubusalceifolius (Rosaceae) and Ligustrumrobustum subsp. walkeri (Oleaceae)are some of the worst alien invasiveplants in the native forests. R.alceifolius has invaded Mauritius andLa Reunion for a long time whereasL. robustum has recently beenintroduced into La Reunion.

The biological control programme forL. robustum in La Reunion will rununtil the end of 2002 by which timeseveral biological control agentsshould have. been screened for

specificity.In-depth ecological studies near thefirst site of introduction in La Reunionhave revealed pure stands of L.robustum in disturbed forest patchesand high seedling-banks in the lessdisturbed patches (that is to say in theplaces with no aliens and no humandamage) Its characteristic high

germination levels, rapid growth rate,shade tolerance and very lowmortality, combined with massivefruit production and dispersal by birdscontribute to this weed's ability toinvade intact forests. Mechanical andchemical control of privet is difficult,especially on steep mountain slopesand it remains a major threat to theindigenous montane forests.

Using dried leaf samples collectedd.uring surveys in Sri Lanka, South~West India and North-East India,researchers at St. Aildrews Universitywere able to apply moleculartechniques to prove that Sri Lankawas the country of origin of the L.robustum biotype invading LaReunion and Mauritius. It is thoughtthat the initial introduction inMauritius was through BotanicalGarden exchanges at the beginning ofthe century. The species group willprobably need!evision in the light ofthe DNA taxonomy findings.

Christophe LavergneLaboratoire de Biologie Vegetale

Universite de La Reunion -Faculte

des Sciences et Technologies

15, Avenue Rene Cassin, B.P. 7151

97715 Saint-Denis Messag Cedex 9

ne de La Reunion (France)

E-mail: lavergne@univ-reunion.fr

Dick Shaw (CABI)International Institute of BiologicalControlSilwood Park, Ascot SL5 TTAU.K.

[Also see page 10]Surveys on the Indian subContinentshowed that Ligustrum is aninnocuous member of the native flora,attacked by a range of natural

Hence, it was decided that biologicalcontrol would be the most appropriateoption and a classical biologicalcontroJ prqgrammewas initiated in

13

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On February 3 1999. the United States President Clinton signed an executive order(EO) to coordinate a Federal strategy to address the growing environrnenta1.andeconomic threat of invasive species. plants and animals that are not native to ecosys-

terns of the United States.J~* '~\~::

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Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman, and Com-merceUnder Secretary James Baker told a news conference that the order createsan Invasive Species CounciL The Council will develop a comprehensive plan tominimize the economic, ecological, and human health impacts of invasive speciesand determine further steps to prevent the introduction and spread of additionalinvasive species. The Council, to be chaired by Glickman, Babbitt, and CommerceSecretary William Daley, will work in cooperation with a variety of groups -

including states, tribes, scientists, universities, shipping interests, environmentalgroups and farm organizations -to combat invasive pl~ts and animals.

The Council has seven duties:

(1) "overseeing implementation of the EO;(2) supporting tield-level planning;(3) identifyiQg international recommendations;(4) creating National Environmental policy Act guidance;(5) establishing an impact monitoring network;(6) developing a web-based information network;(7) preparing a National Invasive Species Management Plan.

President Clinton's budget for fiscal year 2000, proposes an increase of morethan $28.8 million in funding to combat invasive species. This includes newfunding for combating exotic pests and diseases as well as accelerating researchon habitat restoration and biologically-based integrated pest management tactics,

The announcements signal an expanded effort to combat invasive species. ThePresident's order directs federal agencies to use their authority to prevent theintroduction of invasive species and to restore native species. It directs the newinteragency Council to come up with an invasive species management plan within

18 months,

Federal officials were joined at today's announcement by eminent Ha;rvardbiologist E.O. Wilson. Other scientists who have led calls for stronger federalaction to combat invasive species include James T. Carlton of Williams College;DonC. Scbrnitz of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection; DanielSimberloff, the Nancy Gore Hunger Professor of Excellence in EnvironmentalStudies at the University of Tennessee; and Phyllis N. Windle, author of a con-gressional report on invasive species.

Aggressive federal actions are already underway, including measures to preyentthe entry of invasive species, eradicate invasive species before establishment,control invasive species once established, and conduct outreach and education forthe general public. These actions include:

o To prevent entry of invasive species, USDA has more than I ,300 inspectors atmore than 90 ports of entry inspecting commOdities. The inspectors are assisted insome ports by the Beagle Brigade, a group of dogs trained to sriiff out prohibited

agricultural products.,

o USDA has prohibited the importation of untreated wood packing material fromChina, which has previously carried the Asian long-homed beetle into the UnitedStates -and has proposed extending this ban to other countries.

o The u .S. Fish and Wildlife Service will build a barrier in the Chicago ShipCanal, to prevent the spread of invasive species between the Great Lakes and theMississippi River basins.

o The InteriorDepartment is spending $4.5 million annually to prevent the spreadof the brown tree snake from Guam. The Department of Defense is part of thiseffort. Key elements are an extensive control program on Guam, support forresearch effort to develop new control measures, and participation in Oahu'sisland-wide surveiUance and response plan.

o The National Oceanic and. Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the InteriorDepartment, and other federal and state agencies are working to restore the ,

natural ecology of the South Florida and Everglades ecosystems. As this massivereplumbing gets underway, NOAA and the Interior Department have made clearthat safeguards must be taken to ensure that the new water flows do not becomehighways for exotic species to be transported through Florida's fragile environ.ment.

o NOAA is sponsoring research on new technologies for treatment of ballastwater to reduce the threat of foreign organisms being discharged into u.s. waters

o The federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and ExoticWeeds collabOrated on research and publication of a comprehensive fact book oninvasive plants.

Source: Media Release, U.S. Department of the lnteriol; Office of the SecretaryFeb.3, 1999

Editorial Comment: President Clinton's Executive Order on invasive exotic/alienspecies caused a great deal of rejoicing by invasive species people, and rightly so.The hundreds of scientists that added their weight to the push for this initiative

(several ISSG members amongst them) are all to be congratulated!! MDp.

The Working for Water programme was started by the South African government's Department of WaterAffairs and Forestry in October 1995. As part of the nation's reconstruction and development project,this invasive alien plant control programme now includes partnerships with other government departments:the private sector, European and American sponsors. The return on investment is high. Benefits include:enhanced water production through clearing invasive alien plants (mainly Eucalyptus, Acacia and Pinusspp.) along rivers, watercourses and wetlands; the mitigation of one of the greatest threats to theconservation of biological diversity and ecological "stability; and the alleviation of poverty through thecreation of some 40,000 jobs. More than 300,000 hectares have been cleared, 42,059 jobs created andover 120,000 person days of training have been undertaken since October 1995. The training has includedthe fields of business management skills (8% ), work related skill~ (50% ), life skills (19%), environmentalmanagement skills ( 19% ), and other (4% ). The programme's 20 year &ttategy could have the followingbenefits: ,

Em11owered 11eo11le: Over 40,000 direct and indirect jobs, supporting a further 200,000 people, most ofwhom are the "poorest of the poor".

~ Preventing the loss of over 4,000 million cubic metres of water from the hydrological cycle every

year.

Lm!.t Intensive (e.g. crops) and extensive (e.g. wildflowers) use of over one million hectares of land

after 20 years.

~: Use of over one million tonnes of wood per year (e.g. crafts, fumiture,charcoal, chips).

Disaster management: Fires are the biggest disaster management is~ue associated with invading alienplants and are capable of causing millions of rands worth of damage. Flooding is also strongly correlatedwith the aftermath of fires.

For the 20 year strategy to achieve its goal of reducing all key areas to a level where there would only befollow up costs required, s~me 750,000 hectares need to be cleared annually, which implies a substantialincrease to the current level of input.

For more info: The Working for Water programme 1997/98 Annual Report. ManyakaGreyling N,

Waterkloof, 0145, Pretoria, South Africa.

Report sent in by Wayne Lot tel;Alien Plant Control ManagerSappi ForestsSouth Africa

16

New web site on Pacific invasive species

plans include publishing the infonnation in a loose-ieafbinder for ready reference. Also planned are inf9nnationleaflets on some of the major problem species that shouldbe quarantined from further spread. Other activitiesplanned include a workshop on management of invasivespecies for foresters, park and other land managers, andquarantin~ officers (requested by resolution at the recentPacific Heads ()f Forestry meeting) and the developmentof a risk-rating scheme to help set priorities for quarantineand, if necessary, eradication or control.

Invasive alien species are a problem world-wide, bQt areoften particularly threatening to island ecosystems.Information about invasive plant species that are presentin Micronesia and American Samoa, or have beenidentified as outside threats, is now available on theInternet. The Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)web site can be accessed at http://www.hear.org/pier/.While the focus of the site is on Micronesia and AmericanSamoa, other Pacific islands face the same threats and canutilize the information. Most of the problem species foundin Micronesia or American Samoa are present on otherPacific islands, and identified outside threats would likelybe a problem on any tropical island.

The web site is a work in progress. Comments andsuggestions for improvement are welcomed. For a numberof species information is incomplete. There are probablyspecies which have been overlooked. If you can provideinformation, please send it. That way it can be placed onthe web site for the benefit of all.

For ~ach species, scientific and common names, a botanicaldescription, methods of reproduction and spread, habitatand ecology, native range, presence throughout the Pacific,and options for control are provided. Wher~ available,photos or line drawings are included to aid in identification. Jim Space

Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk Project

jspace@email.comBecause not everyone has access to the Inteme;t, future

Southern African plant

invaders atlas (SAPIA)

Distribution maps of Acacia mearnsii and Prosopisspp. in Southern Africa.

An atlas of alien plant invaders in South Africa, Lesothoand Swaziland was launched in January 1994 for an initialfive-year period until December 1998. The aim of theSouthern African plant invaders atlas (SAPIA} is to gatherbasic information such as distribution, abundance andhabitat types of plant invaders on a 1/4 degree (15 minute}square basis. There is also provision for more precise gridreferences. Information is recorded on two standardisedatlas sheets, each listing 100 plant taxa, and with acombined total of 161 species. A pocket field guide to alllisted species has also been published. The datab~semanagement system DataBase is used for computerisingthe~atao The database includes 23,000 records, covering200 species, collected by the author on roadside surveysfrom 1979-1993. It will also include data on DeclaredWeeds and Alien Invaders from the Department ofAgriculture's Conservation Audits which started in 199L[Summarised from: Henderson L. ( 1998); Applied PlantSciences, 12 ( 1 ), po 31-32 J For more information:

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Lesley HendersonPlant Protection Research Institute

Agricultural Research CouncilC/ONBI (National Botanical Institute )Private Bag X101Pretoria 0001SOUTH AFRICATEL: +2712804 3200 Email LH@nbipre.nbi.ac.za

17

WHAT IS IN THE WEED PLAN DOCUMENTS?

The Strategic Planfor Managing Invasive Weeds (SPMIW)provides a 10-page overview of weed impacts and trends,but otherwise doesn't focus on specific weed species orcontrol methods. Rather it concentrates on identifying thecritical strategic objectives and needs for properlymanaging weed threats to public conservation lands in thelong term. It includes general principles, objectives andmanagement approaches, targets for DOC's weed activitiesto 2002, criteria for evaluating the feasibility ofprogrammes, and detailed ranking sy&tems. The plan alsooutlines DOC's priorities for activities that support weedmanagement ( e.g. research, surveillance, staff training, and

management systems)

New Zealand Conservation Minister Nick Smith launchedthe Department of Conservation's (DOC) national weedplan on 31 January 1999. This weed plan will provide theframework for the department's many activities relevantto managing weed threats to the public conservation estate.It comes in three parts, all of which are available to thepublic at no charge.

A key element in the plan is that it distinguishes betweenneeding toprot~ct those natural areas we valueftom weedthreats, and needing to make strategic attempts to manageemerging weed problems. These two approaches split acomplicated issue into two clear objectives, respectivelyimplemented by "site-Ied" and "weed-Ied" controlprogrammes. A second key element in the plan is that ithighlights the scale and complexity of weed threats, andthe need for DOC, regional councils, landowners, Iwi,researchers, and the general public to work together toprotect New Zealand's unique natural heritage.

.Strategic Plan for Managing InvasiveWeeds; 86 pp. This is the formal weed plan.

.Space Invaders. 28 pp.This summarisesthe key parts of the weed plan. It is in full co}ourwith 28 photos and maps..Invasive Weed Threats. 66 pp. Thisdescribes over 300 natural areas at risk fromweed impacts, and 18 programmes where theobjective is to eradicate or contain a species on aregional scale.

It is clear that invasive weeds are one of the ~eatest threatsto New Zealand's biodiversity. Almost half of all vascularplant species ~owing wild in New Zealand are introduced.To date over 19,000 introduced plant species have beenideIitified, of which about 2,068 have so far natU1"alised.In comparison, New Zealand's has about 2,400 nativevascular plants, about 80% of which are endemic. To date;DOC has identified over 240 naturalised species as currentor potential invasive weeds, but this number is increasingas DOC gathers more information and new speciesnaturalise. DOC estimates that at least 580,000 hectaresof New Zealand's unique natural places will be threatenedin the next 10 to 15 years if nothing is done. Morespecifically, invasive weeds affect the survival of 77threatened native plants, and of native animals on manysites. .

The Invasive Weed Threats document provides the detailsof 306 site-led and 18 weed-led programmes identified asat June 1998. There are probably another few hundred site-led programmes still to be included, but it neverthelessstarts to give a real picture of the nature and scale of the.weed problem. The site-led programmes are listed byconservancy, and each one has information on the

Programme's location, general community type, importMtnatural values of the place, the weeds present, their threatsand the hectares potentially affected, and whether DOC iscurrently running a control programme there.

Space Invaders provides an brief overview of what is intheSPMIW and Invasive Weed Threats. It does not includethe detailed ranking and decision.making systems that areiilthe main plan. Space Invaders is therefore probably farmore digestible for most people. For those who wouldlike more detailed information on weed impacts than SpaceInvaders provides, the chapter on weed impacts and trendsin the SPMIW is available as a separate reprint.

18

For overseas orders, there is an additional poStage andpackaging fee ofNZ$10. To order contact:

HOW TO ORDER

Department of Conservation 1998. Space Invaders. Asummary of the Department of Conservation StrategicPlan for Managing Invasive Weeds. 28 p. (no charge).

DOC Science PublicationsDept of ConservationP.O. Box 10-420, WellingtonPhone: (04) 4710726Fax: (04) 4713279 e-mail: svaughan@doc.govt.nz

Owen,S.J. 1998. Department of Conservation StrategicPlan for Managing Invasive Weeds. 86 p.{no charge).

[Note provided by Chris Buddenhagen, DOC

CBuddenhagen @doc.govt.nzJOwen, S.J. (Comp.) 1998. Invasive weed threats. Weed.led and site-1ed programmes identified by the Depart-ment of Conservation, June 1998.66 p. (no charge)

INRODUCING: SPREP's INVASIVE SPECIES PROGRAMME PROJECT OFFICER

Introducing Project Officer:. Invasive Species and Threatened Avifauna, South Pacific Regional EnvironmentProgramme (SPREP), Apia, Samoa.

*****

"On lOSeptember 1998 I started as Programme Officer Avifauna Conservation and Invasive Species based in ApiaSamoa. I have worked for the last 12 years in the New Zealand Departi:nentof Conservati~n's Science and ResearchUnit based in Head Office, Wellington. There I was primarily a scientist studying.pest mammals, threatened birdsand invertebrates, herpetofauna, initiating and managing contract research, and managing research staff. Th~ newSPREP position has been funded by New Zealand Over~eas Development Aid and AusAid.

My first task will be to set up a Regional Workshop on Invasive Species (involving the 26 member countries ofSPREP), and following input from participants, facilitate writing an Action Plan for the Region. I hope that one ofthe outcomes of the workshop will be a rank-ordered list of projects for .which we will seek funding and henceimplement the plan. Funding for the workshop has been received from AusAid. Prior to the Workshop, a technicalreview will be completed. This review will detail what is exactly known about the main groups of invasive speciesin the South Pacific and the means by which they are being spread. Upon completion the review will be circulated toWorkshop participants and published for wider use. The workshop is planned for October 1999.

Another task will be to update t4e Regional Avifauna Action Plan and hold sub-regional meetings to decide on newspecies recovery initiatives -hopefully in collaboration with existing projects such as Community BasedConservation Areas.

If you are interested in being kept informed in the above projects or being involved you are invited to make contactwith me." web http://www.sprep.org.ws

Greg SherleyProject Office1; Invasive Species and Threatened AvifaunaSouth Pacific Regional Environment ProgrammePO Box 240 Apia Samoa. Ph (685) 21929, Fx (685) 20231 Email: greg@sprep.org.ws/

~

ALIENS SubscriptionsPlease fill in, cut out, and send this panel to receive A!iens. Cheques should be made payable to "IUCNInvasive Species Specialist Group" and sent to Maj De Poorter at ISSG, SEMS, University of Auckland(Tamaki Campus), Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. I wish to subscribe to Aliens (2 issues per year):

1 year US$18 2 years US$35...; 3 years US$50 Individual copies (and back copies) ava-ilable for US$10 each.

Waiver of subscription fees: on application

Name:

Address:

19

Report: The first N ational Conference on Marine

Bioinvasions (Massachusetts, USA)During the Conference, several

consistent themes emerged -a call for

action, identification of prevention

and control strategies, the need for

education, support for research and

management of data. Preyention is

usually the most cost-effective

approach, but stopping all invasions

in not realistic. Five strategies were

identified to minimize, reduce or

eliminate invading species. The goals

are (I) to prevent invasions, (2) to

implement an early detection system,

(3) to support a rapid response to

invasions, (4) to eradicate whenever

possible) and (5) to control

established species. The potential for

any species to become invasive was

a recurring theme and one that call~

for more aggressive management

approaches than lire currently in place

today. Scientists .called for more

studies to identify the impacts of

invasions-' with some invaders

becoming commercial successes,

Other presenters focused on the

importance of- eradicating orminimizing the effect of invasions. This short discussion does not do

The eradication of a sabellid worm justice to the scientific papers

that was destroying an abalone describing impacts of invasions,

aquaculture industry was successful. presentations on technologies to

The early response and consistent minimize or prevent releases of

removal may be applicable to the nonindigenous organisms., and

Rapa whelk invasion in the approaches to managing invasive

Chesapeake. The whelk is threateriing species. We are planning to publish

shellfish beds and is likely to disperse proceedings from the conference

to other regions. There were too any .excellent

presentations and posters to

An area not been fully explored is the summarize all of them and reade;rs a):e

relative contributions of transfer urged to review abstracts from the

mechanisms. In addition to ballast conference at

httI2 :1 Imass Qa y .mit. edYL exoticsI2ecieslindex .h tml

Judith Pederson, Ph.D.

Conference Chair

The following organis~tions are gratefully acknowledged for their supporLof

the Invasive Speci~s Specialist Group:

water as a transfer vector, otherpathways included aquaculture {bothintentional and unintentional), baitindustry, aquarium trade, fouling, andseveral other categories such ascanals, research, and seafood industry.Efforts to prevent invasions need toaddress all of the vectors andimplement approaches that prevent orminimize introductions. Theworldwide distribution of bait is oneexample of a transfer pathway that isnot managed as a source of exotic

species.

The first National Conference onMarine Bioinvasions; held January24-27, 1999 at the MassachusettsInstitute of Technology broughttogether 250 scienti:;ts, managers andindustry representatives from alloverthe world. Presentations and postersessions highlighted sources ofmarine invaders and suggested waysto prevent and control new alienspecies in sessions on ballast water,patterns of invasions, ecological andevolutionary consequences andtechnologies for preventing orcontrolling exotic species. Thecross-fertilization of ideas among theparticipants was as exciting as thepresentations and posters.

Education of stakeholders, training ofthe next generation of scientists andoutreach to the public are componentsthat lead to support for legislation, forimplementation of action items toprevent eradicate and controlinvading species, and for earlydetection. Unfortunate1y, "politics issexy" and public support usuallyrallies around a serious economic orhuman health threat.

One of the highlight& of theConference was the keynote addressby U.S. Secretary of the Interior,Bruce Babbitt. He opened his remarksby noting that the effects from marineinvaders may be more severe than oilspills. The accelerating rate of exoticspecies transfer reflects global traderoutes that have increased infrequency and diversity. Theadministration supports efforts tominimize and eliminate introductionsand called for internationalcooperation and collaboration. Afterthe Conference, President Clintonreleased an executive order that (I)

requires agency cooperation, (2)proposes a budget of $28 million.dollars, and (3) creates an InvasiveSpecies Council to overseeimplementation of a plan forcoordinated efforts.

The World Conservation Union

@

New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade :Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research LtdNational Fish and Wildlife FoundationTOTAL FoundationGlobal Environment FacilityUniversity of Auckland School of Environmental and Mari!le Sciences

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