Risk of introduction and establishment of exotic plant pathogens and insects harmful to Mediterranean plant biodiversity

Abstract

Introduction of an exotic pathogen or insect in a region may not guarantee its establishment. The rapid evolution of climatic changes coupled with an increase in trade over the last ten years has resulted in a predictable but underestimated increase in introduction of plant and animal parasites in many regions of the Mediterranean basin. In addition to the damage to plant crops, the threat to wild biodiversity is also significant.