Positive and Negative Influence of Invasive Alien Species

Magomed Said-Usmanovich Khaliev

, Artur Mishevich Bagov

and Elena Mukhadinovna Pshukova

Kadyrov Chechen State University, 32 Sheripov Street, Grozny, Russia

Kabardino-Balkarian State University, st. Chernyshevsky 173, Nalchik, Russia

Keywords: Alien species, invasive species, biodiversity, natural habitat, ecosystem, intervention, diversity, Global

warming.

Abstract: Everything in this world is interconnected, and one touch of a thread can have a minor or significant impact

on other parts of the whole system. One small change or intervention in a system can destroy an entire system

that has functioned well and flourished. In our environment, these changes happen all the time, intentionally

or unintentionally. For example, an increase in temperature by only one present in recent decades has created

so many problems that a further increase in temperature is fraught with a complete change in the world we

know. Similarly, there are others that are less harmful to the entire system, but dangerous to the smaller

ecosystem of our world. These are invasive alien species. These species are described as being introduced

into the ecosystem either by accident or by design, which does not occur naturally in the region of distribution.

Therefore, the article will be devoted to these species. Mainly explaining the meaning and definition of

invasive alien species. They affect nature both positively and negatively. Global warming and overpopulation

and their role in the systemic whole will also be briefly explained. At the end, possible solutions will be

outlined to overcome the damage they cause to natural habitats.

1 INTRODUCTION

The beauty of our planet can be mesmerizing, and it

all comes from the diversity of our nature. Every

place is different and has its own uniqueness and

ecosystem. Therefore, taking care of the ecosystem to

preserve its individuality also serves for the existence

of local species of living organisms. Due to natural or

deliberate interference with these ecosystems, severe

consequences can occur. From violation of the natural

habitat to its complete death. It is also fair to note that

impacts are not only local, but may also affect the

health of the global ecosystem.

Habitat destruction can occur gradually or over a

short period of time. Biodiversity can be influenced by

various factors. The following are some common

examples: fossil fuel extraction, deforestation, river

dredging, bottom trawling, urbanization, wetland

filling, and field mowing (

https://www.everythingconnects.org/). The

destruction or alteration of biodiversity is not a new

phenomenon. Numerous events have occurred in the

past that have destroyed or altered unique ecosystems,

and hence this has been the main reason for the

emergence of a new form of diversity. However, in

today's realities, the loss of a significant part of

biodiversity is inevitable. Global warming and

population growth are the present and future reasons

for the decline in diversity.

1.1 Global Warming

Global warming can be an example of gradually

changing the established biological system. It does

not need to be always in a negative way. Some might

prosper from it and others not (Magomedov, 2021).

Global warming is a long-term increase in the

average air temperature on Earth due to human

activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, which

increases the level of heat-trapping greenhouse gases

(this process is called the "greenhouse effect") in the

Earth's atmosphere. According to some estimates, the

average temperature has increased by about 1 degree

since the pre-industrial period, and it continues to rise

(about 0.2 degrees per decade).

The "greenhouse effect" is the natural warming

that occurs when certain gases in the Earth's

atmosphere trap heat. These gases allow light to pass

through but prevent heat from escaping, much like the

glass walls of a greenhouse, hence the name. Sunlight

hits the Earth's surface, where energy is absorbed and

Khaliev, M., Bagov, A. and Pshukova, E.

Positive and Negative Inﬂuence of Invasive Alien Species.

DOI: 10.5220/0011571800003524

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Methods, Models, Technologies for Sustainable Development (MMTGE 2022) - Agroclimatic Projects and Carbon Neutrality, pages

355-358

ISBN: 978-989-758-608-8

 2023 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. Under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

355

then radiated back into the atmosphere as heat. There,

greenhouse gas molecules absorb some of the heat,

and the rest goes into space. The more gases

accumulate in the atmosphere, the more heat is

retained in the molecules.

1.2 Overpopulation

Future once must have seen bright, but with the

today’s realities it is not. The first and most obvious

problem that leads to it is population growth and its

consequences. The problems behind the population

increase is that it creates higher numbers of demands

for the resources and spaces. Where both of these are

at their red line level. And the issue gets worse with

the presence of climate change or in other words

Global warming.

As it was mentioned, population increase is

directly related with the resource demand. For

instance, food and goods. Can we keep up with the

demands of growing population? The answer is yes.

However, the increase of demands is also directly

related with climate change. With the growth of

production rate, the Greenhouse gases emission also

rises. Hence, leading to more aggressive or

unpredictable climate change, which of course have

negative influence on the production rate. The other

side (side effect) of the issue is chemical usage for

creating good and for increasing the production rate.

These chemicals are mostly used or left on the land or

in the water, hence making water unusable and land

barren. There are other problems such as diseases,

poverty, etc. Consequently, one can see the clear path

of chains of one primary issue

Over population is also a driver of a destruction of

natural habitat. With the growth of population,

increases demands on places and food. A massive

landscape is transferred to the living areas, leaving

behind fully eliminated formed in many years’

ecosystem. Another side of over population as it was

mentioned before is increasing the food production.

Hence, landscapes are fully altered for different types

of yield (Magomedov, 2020).

There are many minor factors that can slightly

influence or fully eliminate the ecosystem but, in this

work, aim is to outline the danger of alien species.

2 ALIEN SPECIES OR INVASIVE

SPECIES

Simply put, it can be described as a species

introduced by accident or intentionally into an

ecosystem that does not occur naturally in the region

of distribution. There are various definitions and

terms for alien species. For example, invasive species

are also described as species that intentionally or

unintentionally spread into a new environment,

causing harm to the ecosystem as well as human

health (http://www.issg.org/). In addition, according

to the United Nations Development Program

(UNDP), alien species are the second largest cause of

biodiversity loss. Not only plants, but also animals

and pathogens can be invasive.

How can these alien species spread in an unknown

region (ecosystem)? As mentioned earlier, there are

two main scenarios for their introduction: intentional

and unintentional. The intentional spread of alien

species can be carried out by humans to change an

existing ecosystem or completely change it. The

unintentional spread of alien species can occur in a

variety of ways. For example, alien species can be

brought to a new area by wind, rising water, animal

migration, tourists, and so on. In recent centuries,

invasions of invasive or alien species have become

more frequent (Meyerson, 2007; Byers, 2002). The

increase is due to the expansion of world trade, the

specialization of production and the increase in links

with previously isolated places, as well as global

distribution (Byers, 2002).

3 POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE

IMPACTS OF INVASIVE ALIEN

SPECIES ON THE ECOSYSTEM

This paragraph will focus on the advantages and

disadvantages of alien and invasive species. Only the

main aspects will be considered. Although there are

many impacts that are not felt at the moment, but will

occur in the future.

3.1 Human Health Relate Problems as

a Result of Invasive Alien Species

Invasion

3.1.1 Negative Impact of Invasive Alien

Species on Human Health

The first thing, which will be valued more than

anything, in the modern time, is health of an

individual. By any means, if the ecosystem is harmful

or hazardous, the region or the area will be altered by

removing all the threatening parts or completely

changed. The impacts of invasive alien species on

human health vary from psychological effects,

MMTGE 2022 - I International Conference "Methods, models, technologies for sustainable development: agroclimatic projects and carbon

neutrality", Kadyrov Chechen State University Chechen Republic, Grozny, st. Sher

356

discomfort, nuisance, and phobias to skin irritations,

allergies, poisoning, disease and even death (Hanley,

2019).

Mainly due to the climate change, some invasive

species can be flourishing in different parts of the

planet. For instance, ragweed can be seen in the

European countries, which came in within the mix of

bird feed. Ragweed can be a trigger of hayfever and

other allergies (Giuseppe, 2018). These species can

be seen as a normal vegetations, but in the reality they

can harm and even can get lethal

Another dangerous invasive species are carriers of

disease. The Asian tiger mosquito can be carrier of

almost 20 different diseases, which can be seen in the

southern European countries. Most of the people do

not expect some diseases (mostly transmitted from

one person to another) can be carried out by the

insects. Therefore, it is important to spread the

information of such issues.

Figure 1: Example of Ragweed (by Krzystof Z.).

Similarly, there are different types of invasive

species that can cause different health related

problems, which of some are unnoticeable and some

are lethal. There are some indirect impacts to human

health. For example, the red palm weevil is

destroying large numbers of palms in the

Mediterranean region, transforming the green spaces

in cities.

There are many examples of invasive alien

species, that can harm a human being and hence the

management of such things have to be prioritized.

3.1.2 Positive Impact of Invasive Alien

Species on Human Health

There may be a bright side to the intentional or

unintentional introduction of invasive alien species.

For example, harsh environments (dangerous plants,

dangerous insects, etc.) can be replaced with more

sustainable species for humans, animals, or even plant

health benefits.

Some species are more resistant to harsh

environmental conditions. Thus, it is suitable for most

places where vegetation is scarce. This means that the

introduction of such species into the environment will

smooth it out and therefore create a comfortable

living environment for humans.

3.2 Biodiversity

3.2.1 Negative Impact of Invasive Alien

Species on Human Health

The negative effect on biodiversity as it was

mentioned earlier is distraction or alternation of

existing ecosystem. Biodiversity is an ecosystem

where different species not only plants, but also

animals and pathogens co-existing in synchrony of

life. Every piece of it is involved in keeping the whole

system working. When one down, the system is at the

risk of losing it uniqueness. But when species that do

not belong to the system enters it and start to replacing

all the diversity it has, the system goes down and dies.

In the figure 2 one can see that the invasive alien

species is dominating the surroundings and therefore

overtaking and replacing the whole diversity it has.

3.2.1 Negative Impact of Invasive Alien

Species on Human Health

Sometimes these invasive alien species are

deliberately introduced into a new system to breathe

life into its dying ecosystem. As mentioned earlier,

some species are more tolerant of harsher conditions.

Today global warming is changing the suitable

weather to the most of vegetation and once one cannot

scope with the weather the other one is introduced as

it can prosper in such climate.

Positive and Negative Inﬂuence of Invasive Alien Species

357

Figure 2: The threat to biodiversity.

4 SOLUSIONS

By the danger they bring to the ecosystem it is a must

do thing to properly manage the spreading process.

Management can bring an end to the invasion of alien

species and stop distraction at early stage.

By the danger they bring to the ecosystem, it is a

must-do thing to properly manage the spreading

process. Management can bring an end to the invasion

of alien species and stop distraction at an early stage.

Invasive alien species spread not only in small

regions, but they can take massive landscapes and

similarly dysfunction well-established ecosystem.

In this case, the feasible solution is to utilize

modern technologies to control the spreading at its

beginning or eliminate them after occurrence. Today,

we have so many tools to use to fight the spread of

unwanted species in the larger areas. For example,

drones with the cameras and built AI capabilities and

other useful tools to distribute substances (chemicals

like fertilizers and hazardous chemicals to kill the

unwanted alien species). The drone can scan a large

scale of regions and then the AI can detect (using a

spatial algorithm to detect invasive intruders) an

invasive alien species and remember the coordinates.

After that, with the collected data of information, one

can distribute chemical substances to kill the

unwanted species distantly (using drones) or by labor.

There are other technics to be used in fighting the

invasive alien species in the market.

5 CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, the work was done to outline what are

the invasive alien species and what they can do to the

ecosystem if left uncontrolled. The effect of Global

warming and uncontrolled emission of gasses into the

atmosphere were also outlined in terms of how they

can influence the invasive alien species prosperity.

Also, the overpopulation problem was covered and its

links to the global warming. The main goal of the

work was to look at the positive if there are any and

negative influences of the invasive alien species to the

wellbeing of people and ecosystems. And hence if

there are issues related to the invaders how to solve

the problem by utilizing modern technologies.

However, it does not mean that these species to be

removed from the new regions. However, this work

illustrates that there are two sides of the issue.

Hence, identification and monitoring of invasive

alien species can mild the problem that they might

bring in the nearest future.

REFERENCES

Habitat destruction occurs when natural in wetlands and

mowing fields 2021. https://www.

everythingconnects.org/main-types-of-habitat-

loss.html#:~:text=Habitat%20destruction%20occurs

%20when%20natural,in%20wetlands%20and%20mo

wing%20fields.

Magomedov, I. A., et al., 2021. IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth

Environ. Sci. 677. 032109.

Magomedov, I. A., et al., 2020. IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth

Environ. Sci. 548. 032029.

Introduction to invasive alien species 2020.

http://www.issg.org/pdf/publications/gisp/gisp_traini

ngcoursematerials/management/managinginvasivesm

odule1.pdf.

Meyerson, L. A., Mooney, H. A., 2007. Invasive alien

species in an era of globalization. Frontiers in

Ecology and the Environment. 5. pp. 199-208

Byers, J. E., Reichard, S., Randall, J. M., et al., 2002.

Directing research to reduce the impacts of

nonindigenous species. Conserv Biol. 16. pp. 630–

640.

Hanley, N., et al., 2019. The economic benefits of invasive

species management. Discussion Papers in

Environmental and One Health Economics.

Giuseppe, M., Elena, T., 2018. Invasive species and human

health. CAB INTERNATIONAL.

MMTGE 2022 - I International Conference "Methods, models, technologies for sustainable development: agroclimatic projects and carbon

neutrality", Kadyrov Chechen State University Chechen Republic, Grozny, st. Sher

358