Published July 29, 2021 | Version v1
Journal article Open

Economic costs of invasive alien species in Mexico

  • 1. Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México, Mexico
  • 2. University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech Republic|Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Gelnhausen, Germany
  • 3. Queen's University, Belfast, Ireland|GEOMAR Helmholtz‐Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel, Kiel, Germany
  • 4. Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
  • 5. Universidad Nacional del Comahue, San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
  • 6. University of Houston, Houston, United States of America|Universidad Nacional del Comahue, San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina

Description

Invasive alien species (IAS) are a leading driver of biodiversity loss worldwide, and have negative impacts on human societies. In most countries, available data on monetary costs of IAS are scarce, while being crucial for developing efficient management. In this study, we use available data collected from the first global assessment of economic costs of IAS (InvaCost) to quantify and describe the economic cost of invasions in Mexico. This description was made across a range of taxonomic, sectoral and temporal variables, and allowed us to identify knowledge gaps within these areas. Overall, costs of invasions in Mexico were estimated at US$ 5.33 billion (i.e., 109) (MXN100.84billion)duringtheperiodfrom1992to2019.Biologicalinvasioncostsweresplitrelativelyevenlybetweenaquatic(US 1.16 billion; MXN21.95billion)andterrestrial(US 1.17 billion; MXN22.14billion)invaders,butsemiaquatictaxadominated(US 2.99 billion; MXN56.57billion),withcostsfromdamagestoresourcesfourtimeshigherthanthosefrommanagementofIAS(US 4.29 billion vs. US1.04billion;MXN 81.17 billion vs MXN19.68billion).Theagriculturesectorincurredthehighestcosts(US 1.01 billion; MXN19.1billion),followedbyfisheries(US 517.24 million; MXN9.79billion),whilstmostothercostssimultaneouslyimpactedmixedorunspecifiedsectors.Whendefined,coststoMexicannaturalprotectedareasweremostlyassociatedwithmanagementactionsinterrestrialenvironments,andwereincurredthroughofficialauthoritiesviamonitoring,controloreradication.Onnaturalprotectedislands,mainlymammalsweremanaged(i.e.rodents,catsandgoats),toatotalofUS 3.99 million, while feral cows, fishes and plants were mostly managed in protected mainland areas, amounting to US$ 1.11 million in total. Pterygoplichthys sp. and Eichhornia crassipes caused the greatest reported costs in unprotected aquatic ecosystems in Mexico, and Bemisia tabaci to terrestrial systems. Although reported damages from invasions appeared to be fluctuating through time in Mexico, management spending has been increasing. These estimates, albeit conservative, underline the monetary pressure that invasions put on the Mexican economy, calling for urgent actions alongside comprehensive cost reporting in national states such as Mexico.

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