Invasive species such as the grey squirrel, Japanese knotweed and the European rabbit have cost the UK economy at least £5bn since the mid 1970s, according to research. Photograph: David Chapman/AlamyThe research synthesised available data on the cost of invasive species in the UK to make the assessment and the findings were published on Thursday in the journal NeoBiota, concluding that greater investment in invasive species research and biosecurity management is urgently needed. The species that are causing problems now were often introduced several centuries ago and the best way to stop future costs is to prevent invasive species from arriving,” Cuthbert said. Examples of widely distributed invasive species in the UK include the signal crayfish, the muntjac deer and the Chinese mitten crab. Photograph: Clothilde Pérot-Guillaume/Queen's University Belfast“There needs to be better recording of the impact of invasive species.

Source: The Guardian July 29, 2021 15:00 UTC