A conceptual framework for prioritization of invasive alien species for management according to their impact

By

Kumschick, Sabrina, 1985-
Bacher, Sven
Dawson, Wayne
Heikkilä, Jaakko
Sendek, Agniezska
Pluess, Therese, 1972-
Robinson, Tammy
Kühn, Ingolf

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2012

Original Publication

NeoBiota : advancing research on alien species and biological invasions

Volume

15

Pages

69-100

Subjects

decision maker , exotic , generic scoring system , impact , stakeholder , value

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sophia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.15.3323

 

Abstract

The number of invasive alien species is increasing and so are the impacts these species cause to the environment and economies. Nevertheless, resources for management are limited, which makes prioritization unavoidable. We present a prioritization framework which can be useful for decision makers as it includes both a scientific impact assessment and the evaluation of impact importance by affected stakeholders. The framework is divided into five steps, namely 1) stakeholder selection and weighting of stakeholder importance by the decision maker, 2) factual description and scoring of changes by scientists, 3) evaluation of the importance of impact categories by stakeholders, 4) calculation of weighted impact categories and 5) calculation of final impact score and decision making. The framework could be used at different scales and by different authorities. Furthermore, it would make the decision making process transparent and retraceable for all stakeholders and the general public.