Threats of invasive alien species to Nature’s Contribution to People

Abstract

Invasive Alien Species are a major driver of biodiversity loss, but their threats to nature’s contributions to people (NCP) at large spatial scales remain largely undetermined. Here we quantify and map the current and potential threat posed by invasive species of concern in Europe to regulating, material and nonmaterial NCP. We show that the current threat of biological invasions is concentrated in human-altered areas unable to support major regulating and cultural NCP, such as habitat maintenance, hazards regulation, and human physical and psychological experiences. Furthermore, the top NCP contributing areas of Europe have little accessibility and climatic suitability for the future spread of invaders. However, the threat posed by invasive species is high in areas providing economically strategic NCP, such as the regulation of freshwater quality and the provision of food, where the expansion of invaders may cause the greatest impacts. This threat is likely to intensify with climate change. Hotspots combining high favourability for invasion and high NCP supply represent between 0 and 13% of the European area, depending on the invasive species and contribution considered, and should become priorities for research and conservation. Our findings can be used to guide the prioritisation of management actions to prevent, minimise and mitigate the adverse effects of IAS on biodiversity and related ecosystem services.