Invasive Alien Species and Climate Change

Globalisation during the past few decades has led to an increase in the movement of people and things around the world, 

which in turn has led to an increase in the number of species that have been introduced to locations outside of their natural habitats.

An animal, plant, or other organism is considered to be of an alien species if it has been brought by humans, 

either on purpose or by mistake, to locations outside of its normal range of distribution.

Some non-native species can get established and have a detrimental effect not just on the native biodiversity but also on the ecosystem services that humans rely on. 

These species are referred to as “invasive.”

The effects of invasive alien species (IAS) can be made worse by climate change, which is defined as a shift in the temperature of the Earth brought on by increasing levels of greenhouse gas emissions.

IAS can be transported to new places and the resistance of ecosystems to invasion can be decreased as a result of extreme climatic events that are caused by climate change. 

Occurrence of Invasive species

These occurrences include hurricanes, floods, and droughts. Additionally, new entry points for IAS are becoming available as a result of climate change.

 For instance, the opening of new trade routes in the Arctic as a result of receding ice caps will drastically cut down on the amount of time it takes for ships to sail from Asia to Europe.

 This will improve the likelihood that members of alien species will survive the trip.

Examples of species that have become invasive as a result of climate change

• Invertebrate Vermin

Pest insects have always been considered an annoyance, most commonly because of the damage they cause to agricultural production, the animals they parasitize, and the effects they have on human health.

The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, originated in North America but has now spread to Europe.

On both continents, western corn rootworm has caused considerable disruptions to maize production, which has led to increased financial burdens.

•  Pathogen

It is known that climate change and invasive species have an impact on the presence of pathogens. 

Increased air moisture plays a crucial influence in the rapid epidemics of diseases, despite the fact that various species would be affected differently by certain climatic variations. 

The activity level of the soil-borne disease pythium cinnamomi, which is responsible for the demise of oak trees, increased as a direct result of the effects of climate change.

• Environments of both Freshwater and Saltwater

The physiological nature, as opposed to the geographic nature, of the barriers that exist between marine habitats is typical (i.e. mountain ranges). 

Alterations in the pH, temperature, or turbidity of the water are some of the possible manifestations of these physiological barriers. 

The effects of climate change are felt not only in the water temperature of the lake, but also in the flow of the stream and, as a result, in the other aspects of the stream. 

Because of this unidentified element, it is difficult to forecast how the brook trout and bull trout will respond to the changing climate.

The negative consequences that invasive species have on the environment

Invasive species have the potential to have negative effects not only on the native species that live in an environment but also on the ecosystem itself.

It is possible for native species populations to be directly impacted by factors such as herbivory, predation, and disease (Simberloff 2013). 

By feeding on the sap of eastern hemlock trees, for instance, the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) was responsible for the extinction of nine different species of birds on Guam,

 and the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) was responsible for the widespread death of these trees (Simerloff and Rejmánek 2011).

The damaging impact that invasive alien species have on their environments

Changes in temperature, the destruction of natural habitats, and pollution all have the potential to amplify the detrimental effects that invading alien species have on biodiversity. 

Particularly vulnerable are ecosystems that are geographically isolated, such as islands. 

The decline of biodiversity will have significant negative effects on the health of humans. 

This includes the reduction in the variety of foods available, which can lead to starvation, famine, and disease, particularly in developing nations. 

In addition to these effects, it will have a significant influence on our economy as well as our society

The problem of invading alien species is created by human activities that are related with international mobility.

Therefore, precautions need to be performed on both the national and the local level. 

The assistance of international cooperation can be of use.

The first and most important stage is prevention, but even in cases when damage has already been caused,

it is not too late to undo it if we all collaborate.

Conclusion

Native biota can suffer irreparable harm at the hands of invasive alien species, which can lead to the reduction or even the obliteration of native species and have a severe impact on ecosystems. Animals, plants, fungi, and microbes that have been introduced to their new environment from a location that is not normally conducive to their survival are examples of invasive alien species. They have a high reproductive rate, give native species a run for their money when it comes to food, water, and space, and are one of the primary factors contributing to the decline of world biodiversity. Species are frequently introduced either intentionally, as in the case of fish farming, the trade of pets, horticulture, or biocontrol, or unintentionally, as in the case of travel, scientific research, and movement by land or water. 

For example, fish farming, the trading of pets.