Invasive alien flora and fauna in South Africa : expertise and bibliography /

Abstract

The Global Strategy on Invasive Alien Species prepared by the Global Invasive Species Programme highlighted ten elements that need to be addressed in our efforts to reduce the global impact of invasive species. Building of both research and management capacity are two of these elements. This inventory is an excellent baseline from which to begin addressing the development of capacity in both these areas within South Africa. South Africa is regarded as an African if not a world leader in the management of established invasive species. Programmes such as Working for Water have won numerous accolades for its approach to dealing with the threat of invasive woody plants and job creation. Currently, bio-control in South Africa is well resourced and produces excellent work and numerous scientific publications. Needless to say many of the experts and much of the scientific literature in South Africa is focused on these two areas. The inventory highlights the lack of expertise in the following: Prevention of the introduction of new invasive species. Specific genera of invasive species e.g. Populus and Prosopis species. Invasive species in particular biomes e.g. arid biomes. This inventory will have served its overarching purpose if academic institutions, particularly those with specific interest in invasive species research and management, are able to motivate financial support to fill the gaps in our knowledge and train skilled people to address these. The problem of a shrinking scientific community is not specific to South Africa yet the wealth of knowledge must not be lost as a result of lack of foresight in research planning. South Africa leads Programme Area 3 of the New Partnership for African Development environmental initiative. This focuses on invasive species in Africa. The inventory of expertise and bibliography is being expanded to southern Africa under the Regional Biodiversity Support Programme. It should be expanded to cover the whole continent so that it provides a resource for research and management within Africa. As this inventory was funded by the Regional Biodiversity Support Programme it does not address the threat of invasive species to agriculture. If we are to convince politicians in Africa of the need to spend more on research, prevention of introduction and management of invasive species then I believe we need to show the threat they pose to food security. Maybe this calls for a whole inventory of its own. This inventory will be useful to both researchers and managers alike. The bibliography of over 3 000 publications is an excellent resource. The list of experts will need to be maintained and regularly updated to have an ongoing use and this should be the responsibility of an organisation such as the South African National Biodiversity Institute. Denis Rangi SA expertise IAS