A framework for prioritising present and potentially invasive mammal species for a national list

By

Bertolino, Sandro
Ancillotto, Leonardo
Bartolommei, Paola
Benassi, Giulia
Capizzi, Dario
Gasperini, Stefania
Lucchesi, Marco
Mori, Emiliano
Scillitani, Laura
Sozio, Giulia
Falaschi, Mattia
Ficetola, Gentile Francesco
Cerri, Jacopo
Genovesi, Piero
Carnevali, Lucilla
Loy, Anna
Monaco, Andrea

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2020

Original Publication

NeoBiota : advancing research on alien species and biological invasions

Volume

62

Pages

31--54

Subjects

Biodiversity , horizon scanning , human well-being , impact , mammalia , non-native species , prioritisation

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sophia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.62.52934

 

Abstract

The European Union (EU) has recently adopted a regulation on invasive alien species that foresees the possibility of developing lists of species of National Concern. We developed a prioritisation process for alien mammals already established in Italy, but not yet included in the EU list (n = 6 species) and a systematic horizon-scanning procedure to obtain ranked lists for those species that are already introduced worldwide or traded in Italy (n = 213). Experts were asked to score these species, by evaluating their likelihood of establishment and spread and the magnitude of their potential impacts on biodiversity, economy, human-health and society. The manageability of each species was also evaluated, both for the proritisation and the horizon-scanning processes. We produced five lists that ranked species according to their potential spread and impacts and their manageability. These will allow policy-makers to select outputs according to a balance between risk assessment and risk management, establishing priorities for alien species management at the national level.