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Peh et al 2014 Biol InvasionsPost-print 2.pdf (607.98 kB)

Potential impact of invasive alien species on ecosystem services provided by a tropical forested ecosystem: a case study from Montserrat

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posted on 2023-08-30, 14:06 authored by Kelvin S. -H. Peh, Andrew Balmford, Jennifer C. Birch, Claire Brown, Stuart H. M. Butchart, James Daley, Jeffrey Dawson, Gerard Gray, Francine M. R. Hughes, Stephen Mendes, James Millett, Alison J. Stattersfield, David H. L. Thomas, Matt Walpole, Richard B. Bradbury
Local stakeholders at the important but vulnerable Centre Hills on Montserrat consider that the continued presence of feral livestock (particularly goats and pigs) may lead to widespread replacement of the reserve’s native vegetation by invasive alien trees (Java plum and guava), and consequent negative impacts on native animal species. Since 2009, a hunting programme to control the feral livestock has been in operation. However long-term funding is not assured. Here, we estimate the effect of feral livestock control on ecosystem services provided by the forest to evaluate whether the biodiversity conservation rationale for continuation of the control programme is supported by an economic case. A new practical tool (Toolkit for Ecosystem Service Site-based Assessment) was employed to measure and compare ecosystem service provision between two states of the reserve (i.e. presence and absence of feral livestock control) to estimate the net consequences of the hunting programme on ecosystem services provided by the forest. Based on this we estimate that cessation of feral livestock management would substantially reduce the net benefits provided by the site, including a 46 % reduction in nature-based tourism (from $419,000 to $228,000) and 36 % reduction in harvested wild meat (from $205,000 to $132,000). The overall net benefit generated from annual ecosystem service flows associated with livestock control in thereserve, minus the management cost, was $214,000 per year. We conclude that continued feral livestock control is important for maintaining the current level of ecosystem services provided by the reserve.

History

Refereed

  • Yes

Volume

17

Issue number

1

Page range

461-475

Publication title

Biological Invasions

ISSN

1573-1464

Publisher

Springer

File version

  • Accepted version

Language

  • eng

Legacy posted date

2015-03-18

Legacy creation date

2019-12-06

Legacy Faculty/School/Department

ARCHIVED Faculty of Science & Technology (until September 2018)

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