The Onslaught of Alien Species, and Other Challenges in the Coming Decades *

Among the many environmental challenges faced by conservation scientists and managers in the coming decades, the inexorable invasion of alien species from distant land masses and between heretofore isolated regions within continents may be the most revolutionary. Although these invasions will homogenize and impoverish the world's biota, they will lead to a deeper understanding of ecological communities. One consequence of the current biotic interchange is that the public's use of the outdoors will continue to decline as new and alien pathogens and parasites, their distributions and survival enhanced by climate warming and other anthropogenic factors, reduce the safety and enjoyment of hunting fishing and hiking. The forthcoming and massive ecological disruptions are bound to produce misunderstanding and conflict among environmentalists. Attempts by conservation biologists to manage wild and feral animals, including vector species, will be blocked by animal's rights groups. Even within the conservation biology movement there are many real and potential conflicts, especially over turf and resources. Such conflicts are a serious threat to biological diversity. Tolerance and compromise are essential if conservation biology is to accomplish its mission.