More than 660 alien species invaded my country, affecting geometry
"More than 660 invasive alien species have been discovered throughout the country. Among them, 71 species have caused or have a potential threat to natural ecosystems and have been included in the "China Invasive Alien Species List." A few days ago, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment released the "2019 China Ecological Environment Status" The Bulletin gives the above data when it comes to invasive alien species.
So, which species are these invasive alien species mainly concentrated in, and through which ways do they invade my country? What potential threats do they pose or have to our country, and how should they be prevented? In response to the above public concerns, our reporter interviewed Ma Fangzhou, an associate researcher at the Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment.
Most plants, mainly from America
"Among these more than 660 invasive alien species, the most are invasive plants, accounting for more than half, with 370 species; followed by animals, accounting for 1/3, with 220 species; also including a small number of fungi, prokaryotes and Protozoa." Ma Fangzhou introduced.
It is reported that there are two main ways for invasive alien species to enter our country: one is unintentional introduction, usually with international trade, such as poplar mosaic virus introduced with seedlings and cuttings, and imported with grain, oil, cargo or luggage The amaranth, which was accidentally brought in, euphemum adenophora, etc., which entered the country from Southeast Asia through natural diffusion; the other is intentionally introduced, including amaranth, amaranth, chrysanthemum, introduced as a vegetable, and the goldenrod of Canada as an ornamental species. 1. Brazilian turtle, Daffodil introduced as a medicinal plant, Snail and bullfrog introduced as a breeding species, carpet grass introduced as lawn grass or pasture, bromegrass, etc., and rice grass introduced to improve the environment— —It was initially used for wind protection and embankment, but due to the extremely fast diffusion rate and strong reproductive ability, the result is large-scale, single, high-density invasion of coastal areas of China.
Invasions caused by exotic farmed species are caused by escape from the breeding area to natural habitats and the protective measures are not properly formed, and some are caused by artificial abandonment. "It is worth mentioning that the alien invasive organisms from the Americas are the most, accounting for 50.87% of the total species, and many invasive species from the Americas are very invasive and highly harmful in China." Ma Fangzhou emphasized.
Involving a wide range of hazards can not be ignored
What harms do these invasive alien species bring to our country, and what are the potential threats? Ma Fangzhou gave an example from agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, ecological environment and human health.
Harm to agriculture. "For example, Bemisia tabaci, one of the 100 malignant invasive alien species globally announced by the World Conservation Union, is the main invasive pest of field crops and can spread more than 70 viruses, the most important of which are cotton leaf curl virus, Tomato yellowing mosaic virus, tobacco leaf curl virus, potato leaf curl virus, etc., have spread to most parts of China, with an area of tens of millions of acres of damaged crops every year."
The most notorious hazard to forestry is pine wood nematode. "Pine wood nematode disease is called'cancer of pine trees'. Coniferous forests dominated by pine trees are threatened by pine wood nematode disease, including Huangshan pine, the main landscape resource in Huangshan. Once pine wood nematodes invade the forest area, the entire forest The district will suffer devastating damage."
Some invasive alien species can compete with pasture grass or directly harm livestock, causing harm to animal husbandry. "For example, Eupatorium adenophorum tends to form a single dominant community, occupying the growth space of pastures, resulting in degradation of pastures, lower yields of pastures, and lack of forage for livestock. Ingestion of stems and leaves by livestock can cause diarrhea, wheezing, pollen and achenes After entering the eyes and nasal cavity, it causes erosion and pus, and even severe death."
Many invasive species will occupy the niche of the protected species, which can seriously lead to the extinction of the species, thus causing adverse effects on the ecological environment. "Research shows that alien species of macroalgae and North American sea canopy can compete with the indigenous halophyte mangrove forests on the southeast coast of China, resulting in reduced or even extinct mangrove resources and destruction of local biodiversity. In addition, some alien invasions Species also hybridize with native near-source species, disrupting and polluting the genetic diversity of native species."
Invasive alien species can also cause harm to human health. "For example, ragweed can produce a lot of highly sensitized pollen during the flowering period. A pollen concentration of 5 to 10 grains per cubic meter can cause allergic symptoms in the susceptible population, such as cough, runny nose, itchy eyes and nose, etc. , Inducing allergic asthma, rhinitis, dermatitis and urticaria and other diseases, serious or even complicated by emphysema, pulmonary heart disease and lead to death."
Only by exerting force in the same direction can we effectively prevent
"2019 China Eco-Environmental Status Bulletin" shows: 67 national-level nature reserves of invasive alien species survey results show that 215 species of invasive alien species have invaded national-level nature reserves, of which 48 species of invasive alien species are included in the "Chinese alien invasion Species List.
In recent years, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment has organized technical support units such as the Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences to continue to carry out background investigations and risk assessments of invasive alien species in national nature reserves and other types of protected areas. Invasive species are mainly invasive plants. "As the main position to protect biological species resources and typical ecosystems, national nature reserves are invaded by alien species, which is a very serious challenge for the protection of biodiversity and key ecosystem functions." Ma Fangzhou pointed out.
How to effectively prevent the invasion of alien species? Ma Fangzhou believes that there must first be a regulatory basis. "At present, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment is working with other relevant ministries and commissions to accelerate the legislative work of the Biosafety Law-with the higher-level law, relevant supporting regulatory measures can be implemented."
With a regulatory basis, it is also very important who controls and how to control. According to the current division of labor, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs strengthens the prevention and control of invasive alien species, the General Administration of Customs strengthens the entry and exit inspection, the Ministry of Natural Resources strengthens the prevention and control of invasive alien species in protected areas, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment strengthens comprehensive supervision, and the local government strengthens The investigation and monitoring of invasive species in the jurisdiction area, universities and research institutes strengthen the research and development and the transformation of results of practical techniques for the prevention and control of invasive alien species... "Only all departments, units and localities perform their duties and work in the same direction In order to effectively curb the intensifying situation of invasive alien species." Ma Fangzhou said.
From the perspective of Ma Fangzhou, it is also very important to strengthen the popularization and education of foreign biological invasion. "The public generally does not know which are alien species, so the release of alien species into natural water bodies and other ecosystems occurs from time to time. In addition, many places in urban garden construction, even a large number of alien species will be used-as everyone knows, this It has a great impact on the fragile urban ecosystem itself."
(Reporter Zhang Lei)