Will Europe at last unite to combat thousands of alien invaders?
Friday, April 3, 2009 - 07:28
in Biology & Nature
Europe's borders have been breached by thousands of plants and animal species from other parts of the world: from the American mink to the New Zealand flatworm. The invaders feed on, hybridise with, parasitise and out-compete native species. They also introduce diseases, alter the balance within ecosystems, modify landscapes and impact upon agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Preliminary estimates indicate that the monetary cost of these invasive alien species in Europe amounts to at least EUR10 billion per year, yet for 90% of species almost nothing is known of their impacts...