Invasive alien species (IAS) have become one of the main causes of biodiversity loss in the marine environment, while also generating significant socioeconomic impacts. The transition from alien to invasive species is highly delicate and never predictable; therefore, the precautionary principle should play a leading role in preventing the movement of species mediated by human activities and in avoiding their impacts. Propagule pressure is a critical factor in the introduction of an alien species; however, whether it ultimately develops invasive behavior depends on two factors: 1) invasiveness, which refers to the species’ own characteristics, and 2) invasibility, which depends on the recipient native community. Regarding the latter, the healthier the native community, the more difficult it will generally be for it to be invaded. Efforts aimed at maintaining healthy native communities make them more resistant to the impacts of IAS.
Combating IAS is not easy, but prevention has proven to be the most effective and economically efficient long-term strategy. Within this strategy, early detection through monitoring at introduction hotspots, horizon scanning, predictive distribution models, vulnerability maps, and a rapid and coordinated response by the competent authorities are fundamental tools for preventing or at least minimizing the impacts of IAS. Eradication measures are only recommended during the earliest stages following detection and, even then, they are rarely successful. Such measures require the elimination of propagule pressure, which is often unfeasible. Once the species has become established, the only way to mitigate impacts is through population control and containment, as well as the valorization (never for commercial purposes) of any biomass that may be generated. However, this biomass is not always available in sufficient quantities for valorization, and when enough biomass does exist, its processing (drying, sand removal, desalination, etc.) may become a critical limitation due to the associated costs.
For both eradication efforts and control and containment actions, determining the spatiotemporal windows in which the species exhibits lower invasiveness is key to mitigating impacts and reducing the risk of accidental spread. When developing mitigation actions and policies, it is of vital importance to clearly define the objective to be achieved: mitigation of impacts on biodiversity, mitigation of socioeconomic impacts, or both. In all cases, the available human, logistical, and financial resources must be clearly established. In this regard, coordinated responses among administrations and the existence of action protocols are decisive.
Invasive alien species (IAS) have become one of the main causes of biodiversity loss in the marine environment, while also generating significant socioeconomic impacts. The transition from alien to invasive species is highly delicate and never predictable; therefore, the precautionary principle should play a leading role in preventing the movement of species mediated by human activities and in avoiding their impacts. Propagule pressure is a critical factor in the introduction of an alien species; however, whether it ultimately develops invasive behavior depends on two factors: 1) invasiveness, which refers to the species’ own characteristics, and 2) invasibility, which depends on the recipient native community. Regarding the latter, the healthier the native community, the more difficult it will generally be for it to be invaded. Efforts aimed at maintaining healthy native communities make them more resistant to the impacts of IAS.
Combating IAS is not easy, but prevention has proven to be the most effective and economically efficient long-term strategy. Within this strategy, early detection through monitoring at introduction hotspots, horizon scanning, predictive distribution models, vulnerability maps, and a rapid and coordinated response by the competent authorities are fundamental tools for preventing or at least minimizing the impacts of IAS. Eradication measures are only recommended during the earliest stages following detection and, even then, they are rarely successful. Such measures require the elimination of propagule pressure, which is often unfeasible. Once the species has become established, the only way to mitigate impacts is through population control and containment, as well as the valorization (never for commercial purposes) of any biomass that may be generated. However, this biomass is not always available in sufficient quantities for valorization, and when enough biomass does exist, its processing (drying, sand removal, desalination, etc.) may become a critical limitation due to the associated costs.
For both eradication efforts and control and containment actions, determining the spatiotemporal windows in which the species exhibits lower invasiveness is key to mitigating impacts and reducing the risk of accidental spread. When developing mitigation actions and policies, it is of vital importance to clearly define the objective to be achieved: mitigation of impacts on biodiversity, mitigation of socioeconomic impacts, or both. In all cases, the available human, logistical, and financial resources must be clearly established. In this regard, coordinated responses among administrations and the existence of action protocols are decisive.
PhD in Biology from the University of Granada, with a strong passion for the sea and its biodiversity. I began my professional career as a diving instructor at Buceo La Herradura in 1992. In 2004, I joined the University of Granada as an Associate Professor of Marine Botany and became involved in the Sustainable Management of the Marine Environment Program of the Andalusian Regional Government, combining both professional activities until 2021, when I joined the Department of Botany at the University of Granada as a full-time teaching and research staff member.
As a lecturer, I teach several subjects, including Biological Invasions within the Master’s Degree in Biodiversity Management, Conservation and Restoration. My research has focused on marine algae and seagrasses, particularly over the last decade on invasive macroalgae in marine ecosystems, with special emphasis on Rugulopteryx okamurae. I was part of the research team responsible for the risk assessment that supported its inclusion in the Spanish Catalogue of Exotic Species, as well as the drafting of the National Control Strategy for the species and the R. okamurae Biomass Management Plan for the Autonomous City of Melilla.
I have also participated in the organization and coordination of several national and international workshops on R. okamurae. Over more than three decades as a diver, especially along the Andalusian coastline, I have gained a historical perspective on marine biodiversity and the threats posed by biological invasions in the Alboran Sea environment.
Currently, I serve as Director of the Aula del Mar CEI-Mar at the University of Granada.