Invasive Species Compendium Consortium

Globally, the cost of damage caused by invasive species has been estimated to be £1 trillion per year - close to 5% of global GDP. In developing countries, where agriculture accounts for a higher proportion of GDP, the negative impact of invasive species on food security as well as on economic performance, can be even greater.



Globalisation through increased trade, transport, travel and tourism (4Ts), will inevitably increase the intentional or accidental introduction of organisms to new environments, and it is widely predicted that climate change will further increase the threat posed by invasive species.



The partnership:



1) will develop a comprehensive and authoritative knowledge base that will be applied as a powerful reference source improving access to knowledge to assist in the identification of invasive species (IS), determine their impacts, help achieve rapid response to their effects, and deliver management and policy solutions;

2) enhance global knowledge of the threat of invasive species to native species and to native ecosystems;

3) develop a global, web-based Invasive Species Compendium (ISC);

4) commission and compile comprehensive global knowledge on invasive species covering all taxa found in agroecosystems and natural ecosystems;

5) promote and make accessible the ISC to train students and extension staff within national systems so they can manage invasive species more efficiently and effectively;