The economic costs, management and regulation of biological invasions in the Nordic countries
Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: A collective understanding of economic impacts and in particular of monetary costs of biological invasions is lacking for the Nordic region. This paper synthesizes findings from the literature on costs of invasions in the Nordic countries together with expert elicitation. The analysis of cost data has been made possible through the InvaCost database, a globally open repository of monetary costs that allows for the use of temporal, spatial, and taxonomic descriptors facilitating a better understanding of how costs are distributed. The total reported costs of invasive species across the Nordic countries were estimated at $8.35 billion (in 2017 US$ values) with damage costs significantly outweighing management costs. Norway incurred the highest costs ($3.23 billion), followed by Denmark ($2.20 billion), Sweden ($1.45 billion), Finland ($1.11 billion) and Iceland ($25.45 million). Costs from invasions in the Nordics appear to be largely underestimated. We conclude by highlighting such knowledge gaps, including gaps in policies and regulation stemming from expert judgment as well as avenues for an improved understanding of invasion costs and needs for future research.
Authors: Melina Kourantidou, Laura N.H. Verbrugge, Phillip J. Haubrock, Ross N. Cuthbert, Elena Angulo, Inkeri Ahonen, Michelle Cleary, Jannike Falk-Andersson, Lena Granhag, Sindri Gíslason, Brooks Kaiser, Anna-Kaisa Kosenius, Henrik Lange, Maiju Lehtiniemi, Kristin Magnussen, Ståle Navrud, Petri Nummi, Francisco J. Oficialdegui, Satu Ramula, Terhi Ryttäri, Menja von Schmalensee, Robert A. Stefansson, Christophe Diagne, Franck Courchamp
Institutions: University of Southern Denmark, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, University of Helsinki, Aalto University, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt/M, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, South Bohemia research center of aquaculture and biodiversity of hydrocenoses, Queen's University Belfast, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Ecologie, Société, Evolution, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Chalmers University of Technology, Finnish Environment Institute, Menon Business Economics (Norway), Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Universidad de Murcia, University of Turku
Language: English
Subfield: Nature and Landscape Conservation
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,590
OpenAlex ID: W4306972415