Research and Management of Biological Invasions in China: Future Perspectives

Abstract

In the past decades, China has made great achievements in both fundamental research and applied management of biological invasions. Meanwhile, upon the increasing of international trade and global changes as well as the initiating of new opening-up strategy, China is facing an even more serious threat from effects of globalization. Here we propose future perspectives on both studying and managing biological invasions in China. Based on the current research progress and future trends of biological invasions, China should strengthen studies in the following areas: (i) carrying out extensive surveys on current status of invasive alien species (IAS); (ii) deeply investigating mechanisms of invasion success and species invasiveness; (iii) evaluating the invasibility of various ecosystems; (iv) developing methods for rapid detection and sustainable control; (v) strengthening governments’ roles; and (vi) promoting international cooperation. We emphasize the necessity of directing more efforts towards research areas that were poorly studied before, such as ecosystem invasibility, and the invasions in nature reserves and grasslands. In addition, strengthening governments’ roles would be also crucial to build an effective IAS managing framework in China.