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Biological Pollution Prevention Strategies under Ignorance:The Case of Invasive Species
Author(s) -
Horan Richard D.,
Perrings Charles,
Lupi Frank,
Bulte Erwin H.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
american journal of agricultural economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.949
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1467-8276
pISSN - 0002-9092
DOI - 10.1111/1467-8276.00394
Subject(s) - ignorance , library science , government (linguistics) , principal (computer security) , session (web analytics) , state (computer science) , agricultural experiment station , political science , operations research , agriculture , engineering , business , geography , law , computer science , archaeology , philosophy , linguistics , algorithm , advertising , operating system
Invasive alien species (IAS)—species that establish and spread in ecosystems to that they are not native—are argued to be the secondmost important cause of biodiversity loss worldwide (Holmes). Without natural predators, parasites, and/or pathogens to help control population growth, IAS frequently outcompete or prey on native species. They cause or spread diseases to cultivated plants, livestock and human populations. They often encroach on, damage or degrade assets (e.g., power plants, boats, piers, and reservoirs). The associated economic impacts can be significant (Perrings, Williamson, and Dalmazzone). For example, the zebra mussel alone is predicted to create $5 billion in damages over the next decade in the Great Lakes (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality). Human activities—particularly those associated with trade and travel—are the most common cause of IAS invasions. IAS invasions are now more frequent than ever before, largely due to the expansion of world trade and travel over the past century (Heywood, Parker et al.). For instance, at least 145 species have invaded the Great Lakes since the 1830s, with one-third