Movement against Biological Invasion (MABI)

In News

• Recently, a biologist from the Agharkar Research Institute (Pune) has started an initiative called MABI (Movement against Biological Invasion).

About

• MABI is a green movement aimed at systematically charting and rooting out Invasive Alien Species (IAS).
• Aim: To promote the conservation of native flora in the face of this mushrooming challenge.

Invasive Alien Species (IAS)

• Definition: 
  • An alien species is a species introduced outside its natural past or present distribution; if this species becomes problematic, it is termed an invasive alien species (IAS). 
  • The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) defines IAS as “an alien species whose introduction and spread threaten ecosystems, habitats, or species with socio-cultural, economic and environmental harm and harm to human health”.
• Examples:
  • Unintentionally introduced fungal pathogens continue to cause widespread declines in taxa ranging from bats and amphibians to corals and native forests.
  • Intentionally introduced feedstock and biofuel crops that go on to invade carry high financial and environmental risk, as realized in Africa and Asia. 
  • Invasive pines (Pinus species) transform habitats and fire regimes in the biodiverse South African fynbos and Brazilian cerrado. 
• IAS are such a problem that Aichi Biodiversity Target 9 and one clause of UN Sustainable Development Goal 15 – Life on Land specifically address the issue.

Image Courtesy: Science 

Threats

• Human & Animal Health: Direct impact on human health. They have potential threats to livestock health. 
• Food Security: Biological invasions are a major threat to global food security and livelihoods, with developing countries being the most susceptible. 
• Environmental Consequences: 
  • The biological invasion could lead to changes to fire regimes, disease transmission to native species, forest loss, reduction in water flows, and habitat transformation, among others.
  • IAS are the most common threat to amphibians, reptiles and mammals on The IUCN Red List; 
  • IAS reduces the resilience of natural habitats, making them more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. 
• Financial Costs: On average, 32% of the farmers’ budget goes into the control of weeds, which includes the regular spraying of insecticide and labour costs. 
• Man Animal Conflict: The widespread prevalence of IAS like Lantana Camara has reduced the proportion of natural grasses for herbivorous animals. This has resulted in the movement of animals like the Indian gaur and the chinkara (Indian gazelle) from their natural habitats to human settlements, thus endangering them.

Way Ahead

• Shift to Native Species: The native tree species should be used for carbon sequestration or erosion control rather than introduced species such as Acacia or Eucalyptus occurring outside their native range. 
• Identify species: Those alien species that are likely to become invasive due to climate change (‘sleepers’) need to be identified and eradicated or controlled before they spread and become invasive.
• Prioritization: To improve ecosystem resilience to a changing climate, ecosystems that are already threatened by IAS need to be prioritised for IAS control or eradication.
• Spreading Awareness: Policymakers and other stakeholders need to sensitise people to the magnitude of the problem. 
• Incorporate Climate Change: It should also be explicitly incorporated into risk assessments of IAS, to help identify those alien species that could become a threat in the future.

Source: TH