INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES (IAS); THE ULTIMATE THREAT TO BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
Today is International Day for Biological Diversity
The Biodiversity Secretariat of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources which is the focal point for implementation of the CBD in Sri Lanka, in collaboration with the Agriculture Education Unit (AEU) of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, and Institute of Biology (IOB) is holding the fourth National Symposium on Invasive Alien Species from May 21 to May 22, 2009 in Negombo. The symposium is sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
By Professor Buddhi Marambe - Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya
Majority of the plant and animal species that are beneficial to mankind in most parts of the world are introduced and hence alien to the respective regions. Many alien species that have been established remain at low levels, integrating with the local ecosystem resulting in little impact on the ecosystem. However, a small proportion of alien introductions, both intentional and accidental, have become serious problems due to their invasiveness in agricultural and natural habitats, destroying or displacing crops or indigenous species. Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to which Sri Lanka is a signatory, as alien species whose introduction and/or spread threaten biological diversity. Sri Lanka is a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The CBD calls on its Parties to ‘prevent the introduction of, control or eradicate those alien species which threaten ecosystems, habitats, or species” [Article 8(h)].
The global significance
The theme of the International Day for Biological Diversity (which is also called the International Biodiversity Day - IBD), which falls on May 22 annually, reflects issues of global significance. The theme for the year 2009, as declared by the Secretariat of the CBD is “Biodiversity and Invasive Alien Species”. As indicated by the CBD Secretariat, the theme for the IBD - 2009 reflects the reality that IAS have invaded and affected native biota in almost every ecosystem types on Earth.
At present IAS have been identified a key factor that affects the biological diversity of the eco-systems that they have being introduced. In terms of their level of impact on habitat degradation, IAS is second only to the impact made by human beings. While the impacts of IAS are typically classified as environmental, economic, and human health-related, these categories should not be regarded as mutually exclusive. The IAS often has synergistic and cascading impacts, influencing numerous aspects of environmental and human well-being over long periods of time. The IAS have affected the bio-diversity in almost every ecosystem type on earth and are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. As reported by the CBD In 2005, at the global level, IAS have contributed to nearly 40% of all animal extinctions for which the cause is known, since the 17th century.
The macro-economic policies, such as free market policies, liberalization of the financial sector etc. pursued by successive governments in Sri Lanka since the late 1970s have facilitated an increase in the entry of IAS to the country. These include the movement of species through tourists, international trade and traffic as ‘hitch hikers’, and international aid. The efforts to diversify the agricultural sector have resulted in attempts to import alien organisms for agricultural purposes. In the majority of cases, alien species have been introduced without adequate screening and evaluation procedures. Even when potentially harmful effects of the alien species are known, they have been ignored for short-term economic gains. The IAS have continued to affect the natural (terrestrial, aquatic and marine) and agro-ecosystems of Sri Lanka affecting its biological diversity and food security, and the incidence of occurrence of IAS has becoming more frequent over the past 2-3 decades.
Legislative controls
At the global level, few countries have developed the required legal and institutional systems that are capable of responding effectively to these invasive species. Spread of these species in terrestrial, aquatic and marine environments present exceptionally challenging conditions for their control. The rapid spread of these species in multitude of environments renders the control of bio-invasions more difficult as control options applied for a given eco-system are difficult to apply in another. Despite being a signatory to international and regional agreements related to trade, i.e. WTO, SAPTA, etc. and international conventions such as CBD, International Plant protection Convention (IPPC), and MARPOL 73/78 Convention, Sri Lanka has enacted a large number of ordinances/acts to impose laws governing import of fauna and flora to the country. The Bio-diversity Secretariat of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MENR) of Sri Lanka serves as the focal point for the implementation of CBD while the Government Department of Agriculture of Sri Lanka is the focal point for IPPC related activities, while Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) of the MENR is the focal point for implementation of MARPOL 73/78 Convention. The Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (No. 2 of 1937; amended act No. 49 of 1993), Plant Protection Act (No. 35 of 1999), Water Hyacinth ordinance (No. 4 of 1909), and Fisheries and Aquatic Resources act (No. 2 of 1996) are some of the legal enactments that would have assisted in controlling the entry of alien flora and fauna. These legislative enactments provide a considerable legal support to act against the introduction of IAS, however, interests and scopes of these enactments are limited and do not meet the total requirement of acting against invasive species. Thus, it is clear that in addition to development of appropriate legislative framework, which is a pre requisite for effective prevention and subsequent control of IAS, awareness among legislators, entrepreneurs, importers and general public would play a crucial role in tackling the issues of IAS.
Sri Lankan participation
Despite the limitations inherent in international and national regulations, the international cooperation and consideration of the issue of IAS is gradually intensifying. In an era where the impacts of climate changes on the eco-systems are being seriously discussed as assessed, in 2007, the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change reported that the extreme events such as cyclones, floods, droughts and fires, predicted to occur more often, will have an increased ability to facilitate invasions by non-native species. Thus, managing IAS requires a coordinated strategy based on cooperation among all land managers. There are several organizations actively participate in or conduct research on IAS related issues in Sri Lanka, such as Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), Forest Department (FD), Department of Agriculture (DOA), Department of National Botanic Gardens (NBC), World Conservation Union - Sri Lanka (ICUN-Sri Lanka), National Universities, and several other non governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBO). The IAS of interest of these organizations have mainly being the plants such as Salvinia molesta, (Salvinia), Eichhornia crassipes (Water Hyacinth), Mimosa pigra (Giant Sensitive Plant), Lantana camara (Lantana), Parthenium hysterophorus (Congress Weed) and Alternathera phioxeroides (Alligator Weed). Less or no attention has been paid to control spread of invasive alien animals such as clown knife fish (Chitala ornate) that have escaped to our aquatic ecosystems through negligence in the ornamental fish trade. No efforts have been made to deal with the marine invaders that enter mainly through ballast water. It is important to note that that the MARPOL convention, to which Sri Lanka is a signatory, requires for every port to have a reception facility to extract ship generated waste to prevent entry of invasives through ballast water, which Sri Lanka is still to establish.
National Invasive Species Control Act
Although the actions in relation to IAS should be taken by many organizations, it is vital to have a specifically identified institution/ committee assigned to oversee and coordinate such actions. Since IAS do not recognize political or other jurisdictional boundaries, they can only be managed if all land managers, both private and public, work together with a common goal. However, the absence of a National Strategy and an Action Plan (SAP) has affected brining in all stakeholders to a common platform in terms of IAS control and better coordination among them. Acknowledging the serious impacts caused by IAS, on January 15, 2009, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Sri Lankan government approved the cabinet paper submitted by the Ministry of Environment to develop a ‘National Invasive Species Control Act” to deal with the IAS in the country. The Cabinet of Ministers has further highlighted the importance of obtaining assistance of other line ministries in this effort. The IBD 2009, which commemorate the adoption of the CBD in 1992, provides an opportunity to raise awareness of IAS and to increase practical action to tackle the problem. Being cognisant of this fact, the Biodiversity Secretariat of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources which is the focal point for implementation of the CBD in Sri Lanka, in collaboration with the Agriculture Education Unit (AEU) of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, and Institute of Biology (IOB) is holding the fourth National Symposium on Invasive Alien Species from May 21 to May 22, 2009 in Negombo. The symposium is sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). More than fifty-five papers will be presented in this symposium at the plenary, by invited and technical sessions that have been organized.
In the year 2009, Sri Lanka is also in the process of developing a full scale project on “Strengthening Capacity to Control the Introduction and Spread of Alien Invasive Species” aiming to secure finances from the GEE to support this worthy cause. This project intends to address the present gaps in controlling the introduction and spread of invasive species in the country by addressing barriers through policy intervention, better coordination, economic instruments, legislation and information. This would no doubt assist in Sri Lanka’s effort in preventing the introduction of and management of IAS, which is an environmental menace, through a well coordinated institutional arrangement and effective participation of all stake holders concerned.
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