{"id":188,"date":"2016-07-21T19:20:04","date_gmt":"2016-07-21T19:20:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wmreadinganthology\/?post_type=chapter&p=188"},"modified":"2016-07-21T19:20:04","modified_gmt":"2016-07-21T19:20:04","slug":"u-s-and-china-may-take-biggest-hit-from-invasive-species","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-wm-readinganthology\/chapter\/u-s-and-china-may-take-biggest-hit-from-invasive-species\/","title":{"raw":"U.S. and China May Take Biggest Hit from Invasive Species","rendered":"U.S. and China May Take Biggest Hit from Invasive Species"},"content":{"raw":"
\r\n\r\nBy\u00a0Matt Swayne\r\n\r\nPublished June 21, 2016 in Futurity<\/em>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nA recent study that examines the global problem of invasive species finds the US and China are the most likely sources\u2014and face the biggest potential losses\u2014along with Brazil and India.\r\n\r\nGlobally, those loses could reach billions of dollars, experts warn.\r\n\r\n\u201cInvasive pests and diseases are a major threat to agriculture, natural ecosystems, and society in general,\u201d says Matthew Thomas, a professor and a researcher in the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics at Penn State. \u201cIn the US, you only need to think about current problems such as Emerald Ash Borer or the Asian Tiger Mosquito and the potential threat of Zika virus to appreciate this.\r\n\r\n\u201cOne of the challenges we face is predicting the next threat and where it will come from. This study explores some of these issues at a global scale.\u201d\r\n\r\nThe researchers, who report their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<\/em><\/a>, analyzed the impact of 1,297 known invasive insect pests and pathogens on 124 countries. They also determined which countries posed the biggest threats based on their trading partners and numbers of invasive species.\r\n\r\nThe United States, China, India, and Brazil, all large agricultural producers, would have the highest potential cost from invasive species, according to the researchers. China and the United States ranked one and two, respectively, as the highest potential source countries for the pests.\r\n
Invasive plants can roam the world via Ebay<\/a><\/h5>\r\n\u201cChina and the US are large and have diverse cropping systems ranging from subtropical to temperate environments and this diversity of cropping systems supports a wide range of potential pest and disease species,\u201d says Thomas. \u201cAlso, China and the US have very active trading relationships with many countries worldwide and these provide potential links for transport of pest and disease organisms to novel areas.\u201d\r\n\r\nWhile big agricultural countries, such as the United States and China, may take the biggest monetary hit, smaller developing countries may suffer proportionately higher damage.\r\n\r\nDean Paini, senior research scientist for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization and Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre, who worked with Thomas, says the most vulnerable countries were located in sub-Saharan Africa.\r\n\r\n\u201cThese countries generally do not have diverse economies making them disproportionately more dependent on agriculture,\u201d Paini says. \u201cAs a result any threat from invasive species can potentially have a greater relative impact on these countries.\u201d\r\n\r\nTo estimate the relative cost of species invasion, the researchers divided a country\u2019s total invasion cost by its mean domestic product from 2000 to 2009.\r\n
Human history tells us we\u2019re an invasive species<\/a><\/h5>\r\nAs trade increases and more connections are made between countries, the researchers suggest that the problems associated with invasive species will mount.\r\n\r\n\u201cDealing with this problem is a major challenge,\u201d says Thomas. \u201cWe hope that by identifying the countries and regions that are most vulnerable, our study can help governments make informed decisions regarding the deployment of resources necessary to protect their borders and agriculture industries by limiting the further spread of invasive species.\u201d\r\n\r\nThe Australian government\u2019s Cooperative Research Centres Program supported this work.","rendered":"
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By\u00a0Matt Swayne<\/p>\n

Published June 21, 2016 in Futurity<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

A recent study that examines the global problem of invasive species finds the US and China are the most likely sources\u2014and face the biggest potential losses\u2014along with Brazil and India.<\/p>\n

Globally, those loses could reach billions of dollars, experts warn.<\/p>\n

\u201cInvasive pests and diseases are a major threat to agriculture, natural ecosystems, and society in general,\u201d says Matthew Thomas, a professor and a researcher in the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics at Penn State. \u201cIn the US, you only need to think about current problems such as Emerald Ash Borer or the Asian Tiger Mosquito and the potential threat of Zika virus to appreciate this.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the challenges we face is predicting the next threat and where it will come from. This study explores some of these issues at a global scale.\u201d<\/p>\n

The researchers, who report their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<\/em><\/a>, analyzed the impact of 1,297 known invasive insect pests and pathogens on 124 countries. They also determined which countries posed the biggest threats based on their trading partners and numbers of invasive species.<\/p>\n

The United States, China, India, and Brazil, all large agricultural producers, would have the highest potential cost from invasive species, according to the researchers. China and the United States ranked one and two, respectively, as the highest potential source countries for the pests.<\/p>\n

Invasive plants can roam the world via Ebay<\/a><\/h5>\n

\u201cChina and the US are large and have diverse cropping systems ranging from subtropical to temperate environments and this diversity of cropping systems supports a wide range of potential pest and disease species,\u201d says Thomas. \u201cAlso, China and the US have very active trading relationships with many countries worldwide and these provide potential links for transport of pest and disease organisms to novel areas.\u201d<\/p>\n

While big agricultural countries, such as the United States and China, may take the biggest monetary hit, smaller developing countries may suffer proportionately higher damage.<\/p>\n

Dean Paini, senior research scientist for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization and Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre, who worked with Thomas, says the most vulnerable countries were located in sub-Saharan Africa.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese countries generally do not have diverse economies making them disproportionately more dependent on agriculture,\u201d Paini says. \u201cAs a result any threat from invasive species can potentially have a greater relative impact on these countries.\u201d<\/p>\n

To estimate the relative cost of species invasion, the researchers divided a country\u2019s total invasion cost by its mean domestic product from 2000 to 2009.<\/p>\n

Human history tells us we\u2019re an invasive species<\/a><\/h5>\n

As trade increases and more connections are made between countries, the researchers suggest that the problems associated with invasive species will mount.<\/p>\n

\u201cDealing with this problem is a major challenge,\u201d says Thomas. \u201cWe hope that by identifying the countries and regions that are most vulnerable, our study can help governments make informed decisions regarding the deployment of resources necessary to protect their borders and agriculture industries by limiting the further spread of invasive species.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Australian government\u2019s Cooperative Research Centres Program supported this work.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

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