View - ResearchGate

22 Limits and Potentialities of Eradication
as a Tool for Addressing Biological Invasions
Piero Genovesi
22.1 Introduction
22.1.1 Definition
Eradication is the complete and permanent removal of all wild populations of
an alien plant or animal species from a defined area, by means of a time-limited
campaign. This measure is therefore different from control, i.e. the reduction
of population density and abundance in order to keep damage at an
acceptable level, and containment, aimed at limiting the spread of a species by
containing its presence within defined geographical boundaries (Bomford
and O’Brien 1995). Following this definition, also the removal of very few
individuals is an eradication, if these have the potentialities of reproducing
and establishing in the wild (i.e. this does not include the removal of single
animal individuals but includes removal of seeds or plant propagules in the
wild, or of a few pairs of animals).
Eradication of unwanted alien species is an increasingly important tool for
conservation of biological diversity. In fact, although the most effective way
for mitigating the impacts caused by biological invasions is the prevention of
new unwanted introductions, once prevention has failed and an alien species
has invaded a new area, eradication is the best alternative, considering the
costs and undesired effects related to permanent control or to a “do-nothing”
policy.
This general approach has been identified as the key for action on invasive
aliens species by the Convention on Biological Diversity which, with Decision
VI/23 on Alien Species that threaten ecosystems, habitats and species (adopted
at COPVI, The Hague, April 2002), has called parties to adopt a hierarchical
approach for addressing biological invasions. Prevention of unwanted introduction
of invasive alien species between and within states is the priority. If an
Ecological Studies,Vol. 193
W. Nentwig (Ed.)
Biological Invasions
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007