Within the iguana family there is a species classified as invasive that poses a threat to the fauna and flora of Miami and the island of Martinique, among other places.
Invasive species are those that, for different reasons, develop beyond their natural distribution areas. In this framework, multiple exponents of flora and fauna are deployed in foreign habitats and end up causing biodiversity to be lost.
Organisms (mainly plants and animals, although they can also be microorganisms) that, by accident or voluntarily, are transported by humans outside their natural area of settlement are called invasive exotic species . When the establishment, reproduction and expansion of species occurs in a site that does not originally correspond to the population in question, ecosystems become unbalanced, deteriorate and see their essence altered.
These species invasions, in addition to putting native diversity in check and modifying soils, have a negative impact both economically (since they limit, complicate or prevent agricultural activities) and in terms of public health .
Impacts of invasive species
As we noted above, invasive species have different impacts.
In terms of ecology, they fundamentally lose biodiversity . Ecological competition and predation appear among the main factors of decline or even extinction of native species .
They also cause financial damage to those who own fields, for example, since pests ruin crops and complicate the livestock sector, forcing them to invest time and money in prevention, control and/or eradication actions.
Both the well-being of the environment and millions of living beings are in danger from invasive species . Even human health is exposed to numerous zoonotic diseases that are spreading around the world in an uncontrolled manner. Nowadays, as can be seen from reality, there are collective efforts to avoid mosquito bites in order to minimize the risk of contracting dengue , just as there is care aimed at preventing cases of leptospirosis , trichinosis , rabies , etc.
Some time ago, a robot useful for eradicating invasive insects was created.
It should be noted that, when using herbicides and pesticides as a method to get rid of unwanted organisms that represent a threat to the environment, there are high percentages of generating dangerous consequences in terms of pollution (water, air and soil) and suffering-generating conditions. and death.
Emergence and spread
It is important to educate yourself about the emergence and spread of invasive species in order to avoid certain human behaviors and, simultaneously, know how to detect, monitor and eradicate them.
The introduction of species into biotopes that are not linked to the place of origin of certain plants or animals harms, in principle, the transferred specimens since they are forced to adapt to a strange territory and, failing to adapt, end up dying. If they survive, in many cases they lead to the displacement of native populations .
Commercial activity and tourism are frequent channels for the introduction and spread of invasive species . Continuous travel, on a national and international scale, favors the dispersion of parasites , viruses , bacteria and vectors , to indicate a specific reference. Illegal wildlife trade (or illegal wildlife trafficking) is another cause associated with the appearance of invasive species without distinction of borders. The same thing happens with poaching , a reprehensible practice that puts at risk and destroys thousands of species and habitats.
Invasive species contribute more than pollution and climate change to the extinction of various living beings, science assures.
Current panorama of invasive species
To address, confront and resolve the problem posed by the increasingly wide distribution of invasive species, it is essential to deal with several issues at the same time. The combo must include environmental education from an early age to form people who are respectful and responsible with all forms of life; environmental awareness campaigns and strict compliance regulations and environmental legislation aimed at the conservation of biodiversity and the protection of flora and fauna .
In this scenario, research related to the environment must be encouraged and the latest developments in this regard must be adequately communicated so that the entire population knows, for example, what invasive exotic species are and why they are identified as a danger to biological diversity .
Among the messages to be transmitted massively, one that emphasizes the value of prevention must prevail. It is counterproductive, for example, to transport animals from another corner of the planet and bring plants as a souvenir from an international trip. Of course, in addition, the trafficking of exotic species must be discouraged (with complaints, operations and convictions).
It is also not bad to know what and how the techniques and strategies are to detect and contain the presence of invasive species (there are physical and manual control methods, among others, as well as integrated management procedures).
Staying informed about the current global panorama is also necessary. It should not be overlooked, to mention a reference, that in 2023 a publication focused on the results of a report carried out by the Intergovernmental Scientific-Policy Platform on Biological Diversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was released. From this study it emerges that there are 3,500 invasive exotic species that constitute a serious threat to nature and have become a problem that requires preventive actions and comprehensive solutions working together among all nations.