Title
An Ounce Of Prevention Or A Pound Of Cure: Bioeconomic Risk Analysis Of Invasive Species
Keywords
Exotic species; Non-indigenous; Risk assessment; Stochastic dynamic programming
Abstract
Numbers of non-indigenous species - species introduced from elsewhere - are increasing rapidly world-wide, causing both environmental and economic damage. Rigorous quantitative risk-analysis frameworks, however, for invasive species are lacking. We need to evaluate the risks posed by invasive species and quantify the relative merits of different management strategies (e.g. allocation of resources between prevention and control). We present a quantitative bioeconomic modelling framework to analyse risks from non-indigenous species to economic activity and the environment. The model identifies the optimal allocation of resources to prevention versus control, acceptable invasion risks and consequences of invasion to optimal investments (e.g. labour and capital). We apply the model to zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha), and show that society could benefit by spending up to US$324 000 year-1 to prevent invasions into a single lake with a power plant. By contrast, the US Fish and Wildlife Service spent US$825 000 in 2001 to manage all aquatic invaders in all US lakes. Thus, greater investment in prevention is warranted.
Publication Date
12-7-2002
Publication Title
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Volume
269
Issue
1508
Number of Pages
2407-2413
Document Type
Article
Personal Identifier
scopus
DOI Link
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2002.2179
Copyright Status
Unknown
Socpus ID
0037038989 (Scopus)
Source API URL
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/0037038989
STARS Citation
Leung, Brian; Lodge, David M.; and Finnoff, David, "An Ounce Of Prevention Or A Pound Of Cure: Bioeconomic Risk Analysis Of Invasive Species" (2002). Scopus Export 2000s. 2244.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/scopus2000/2244