The early detection of and rapid response (EDRR) to invasive species: a conceptual framework and federal capacities assessment

Abstract

Globalization necessitates that we address the negative externalities of international trade and transport, including biological invasion. The US government defines invasive species to mean, ''with regard to a particular ecosystem, a non-native organism whose introduction causes, or is likely to cause, economic or environmental harm, or harm to human, animal, or plant health.'' Here we address the role of early detection of and rapid response to invasive species (EDRR) in minimizing the impact of invasive species on US interests. We provide a review of EDRR's usage as a federal policy and planning term, introduce a new conceptual framework for EDRR, and assess US federal capacities for enacting well-coordinated EDRR. Developing a national EDRR program is a worthwhile goal; our assessment nonetheless indicates that the federal government and its partners need to overcome substantial conceptual, institutional, and operational challenges that include establishing clear and consistent terminology use, strategically identifying and communicating agency functions, improving interagency budgeting, facilitating the application of emerging technologies and other resources to support EDRR, and making information relevant to EDRR preparedness and implementation more readily accessible. This paper is the first in a special issue of Biological Invasions that includes 12 complementary papers intended to inform the development and implementation of a national EDRR program.

The incident command system: a framework for rapid response to biological invasion

“…Based on information provided by federal agencies in their responses to a survey of federal EDRR capacities (Reaser et al 2019a, this issue), ICS has been used by federal agencies and partners in a number of cases involving invasive species. For example, federal and state agencies on the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee (ACRCC) used ICS in actions to address the risk of Asian carp in the Chicago waterway system (Tetra Tech 2010a, b).…”

Envisioning a national invasive species information framework

“…The early detection of and rapid response to invasive species (EDRR) is considered a guiding principle for minimizing the impact of invasive species in an expedited yet effective and cost-efficient manner (Reaser et al 2019a). With a view toward creating a national EDRR program, the United States National Invasive Species Council (NISC) Management Plan for 2016-2018 calls for a series of assessments of federal EDRR capacities, including the evaluation of ''relevant federal information systems to provide the data and other information necessary for risk analyses/ horizon scanning, rapid specimen identification, and rapid response planning'' (NISC 2016).…”

“…EDRR is dependent on the ready availability of high-quality information at every stage in the process (Reaser et al 2019a, this issue). Following the EDRR framework proposed by Reaser et al (2019a Figure 1, this issue), practitioners need easy access to information that enables them to establish the legal and institutional frameworks that enable EDRR planning and enactment (Burgos-Rodríguez and Burgiel 2019a, b, this issue), develop effective and costefficient decision support tools (Meyers et al 2019, this issue;Morisette et al 2019, this issue), intercept non-native organisms, and accurately and quickly identify the organism(s) (Lyal and Miller et al 2019, this issue). They also need the capacity to report the authoritatively identified organisms to appropriate decision-makers, and then to the decision implementer(s) in a relatively short amount of time (see Reaser et al 2019a, this issue, for discussion on ''rapidness'').…”

Right place. Right time. Right tool: guidance for using target analysis to increase the likelihood of invasive species detection

“…An invasive species is, ''with regard to a particular ecosystem, a non-native organism whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human, animal, or plant health'' (Executive Office of the President 2016). The early detection of and rapid response to invasive species (EDRR) is a guiding principle for addressing invasive species in an effective and cost-efficient manner (Reaser et al 2019a). In order to detect invasive species early in the invasion process, surveyors (including inspectors at points of entry and field-based personnel) need to know the characteristics of the species of interest and be in the right place, at the right time, and with the right tool(s).…”

“…The 2016-2018 National Invasive Species Council (NISC) Management Plan calls for an assessment of the capacity of federal inventory and monitoring programs to detect invasive species (NISC 2016). Reaser et al (2019a) provide a general overview of the assessment findings and identify capacity building needs. In this complementary paper, we provide guidance for using target analysis as a tool to maximize the likelihood of invasive species detection through inventory and monitoring programs (collectively referred to as surveillance herein).…”