A framework for prioritising present and potentially invasive mammal species for a national list

• Main Authors: Sandro Bertolino, Leonardo Ancillotto, Paola Bartolommei, Giulia Benassi, Dario Capizzi, Stefania Gasperini, Marco Lucchesi, Emiliano Mori, Laura Scillitani, Giulia Sozio, Mattia Falaschi, Gentile Francesco Ficetola, Jacopo Cerri, Piero Genovesi, Lucilla Carnevali, Anna Loy, Andrea Monaco
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pensoft Publishers 2020-10-01
• Series: NeoBiota
• Online Access: https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/52934/download/pdf/

The European Union (EU) has recently adopted a regulation on invasive alien species that foresees the possibility of developing lists of species of National Concern. We developed a prioritisation process for alien mammals already established in Italy, but not yet included in the EU list (n = 6 species) and a systematic horizon-scanning procedure to obtain ranked lists for those species that are already introduced worldwide or traded in Italy (n = 213). Experts were asked to score these species, by evaluating their likelihood of establishment and spread and the magnitude of their potential impacts on biodiversity, economy, human-health and society. The manageability of each species was also evaluated, both for the proritisation and the horizon-scanning processes. We produced five lists that ranked species according to their potential spread and impacts and their manageability. These will allow policy-makers to select outputs according to a balance between risk assessment and risk management, establishing priorities for alien species management at the national level.