Beware of invasive aliens

Abstract

A recent conference held in Malta under the aegis of the Council of Europe and within the framework of the Bern Convention (on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats) highlighted one of the most insidious threats to biodiversity - that posed by invasive alien species (lAS). Globalisation has not only led to enhanced mobility for people but also for various animal and plant species which are crossing borders and colonising new regions of the world at an unprecedented rate. Within the Convention on Biology Diversity, an alien species is defined as "a species, subspecies or lower taxon, introduced outside its natural past or present distribution; it includes any part, gametes, seeds, eggs, or propagules of such species that might survive and subsequently reproduce".