North American Invasive Species Network Workshop March 9th, 2010
What is CONABIO Background Invasive species activities in Mexico Invasive species area Other activities Recent developments
National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity Was funded in 1992 with the aim to: Develop and maintain the National Information System on Biodiversity (SNIB) Support projects and studies to increase the knowledge on biodiversity Support and assess other government bodies and the public sector Follow up international agreements (CDB, CITES ) Open resource of information to all society
Background Increase of the awareness on the issue of invasive species has been increasing at different levels Specific issues are detected in the country, requiring urgent measures Identification of certain species that represent a high risk for Mexico Increased need to establish measures to face the problem, based on scientific information, and the participation of different actors
2000 - ongoing Technical work (Bombus sp) 2001 Collaboration with the CEC 2002 Cactus moth risk analysis 2003 Common project for North America on AIS (CEC) 2004 Mexico joins International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships Ballast Water & Sediments 2004 Prototype of an information system on aquatic AIS in Biótica First lists 665 Plants 77 fish 16 mammals 30 birds 10 amphibians and reptiles Activities 2000-2004
2005-2006 March 23, 2005 The Ministry of Environment designs CONABIO as the national leading institution on invasive species Binational forum for raising awareness on aquatic invasive species in Mexico (UANL- CONABIO- ANS Task Force) First approach between SAGARPA-SEMARNAT (CONAPESCA, CCA, SENASICA) Ecological society of America (AIS) US FWS HACCP training course (training the trainer) Weeds Across Borders meeting Cactus moth detected in 2006 Workshop to detect high impact AIS in Mexico
2007-2008 High Impact AIS publication Risk assessment workshop for aquarium fish importers (UANL- INAPESCA-CONABIO) Invasion of Plecos in Infiernillo Dam HACCP for aquarium fish producers (UANL- INAPESCA-CONABIO) Begin work on Mexico s national strategy on invasive species Risk assessment El Salvador (CAFTA DR) Information portal for Mexico Protection of marine bird nesting sites in islands (USFWS-CONANP-CONABIO)
2009-2010 Publication of the National strategy on AIS for Mexico Laguna Madre project (UANL-CEC) Symposium on AIS in Monterrey Vertebrate eradication on islands (GECI-CONANP-USFWS-CONABIO) Publication of the Natural Capital (AIS chapter) Barcode of life 2009 Action plan for AIS Chihuahua (TNC- CONANP-CONABIO) Lion fish CONANP
Invasive species department Created in 2007 Aim: Contribute to the conservation of the natural capital and human welfare through actions focused on increasing and spreading the knowledge on the situation of invasive alien species in Mexico. Invasive species information system - SIEI (within SNIB) Design of a system to manage and input information specifically for AIS Develop criteria to screen the list and establish priorities Develop tools to undertake Risk analysis in Mexico Revision and gathering of information to feed the SIEI Support the decision making process through the supply of information
First diagnosis of the situation of AIS records in Mexico Ecohealth, Mérida, 2008 Paper in preparation
Invasive species information system (SIEI) Geographical databases Records of current and historic distributions Digital mapping Different layers and scales Spatial modeling tools Ej. Desktop Garp, Maxent, Floramap Geographical Information Systems (ArcView and ArcInfo) Bibliographic references Information on biology, ecology, impacts, etc. Risk assessment tools Web of experts Fotografías de Heike Vibrans y Pedro Tenorio Lezama en URL, Heike Vibrans (ed.). 2005. Malezas de México. 6 de octubre de 2005.
Information handling Based on the best scientific information available Quality control procedures Automated consults Transparent Compare and replicate Documented sources Consider uncertainties
Information handling National Information System on Biodiversity (SNIB) Sections: Taxonomic name Sample Ecology Geography Bibliography Reference database: 2,537 papers
Invasive species catalogue CONABIO 2009 10 sections, 61 fields (10 text and 51 catalogues) Revision of risk analysis tools 1.- General information 2.- Distribution 3.- Environment 4.- Natural history 5.- Background of introductions 6.- Impacts 7.- Bibliography 8.- Credits 9.- Risks of establishment and invasion 10.- Risk analysis Revision of the different sections by experts Internal quality control procedures Connection with other databases
Information system Information sources Original list from CONABIO Other lists (ISSG, NAS, GISIN...) Publications Species information Database Biótica5.0 Information catalogues
First screening Invasion records Species is invasive in other countries Records of impact (ecological, economic, health..) Distribution Original distribution Distribution as an invasive Records in Mexico Each record includes the original information source
Prioritization Tool that can be used for all the groups Agreed criteria Needs to establish invasiveness priorities to develop risk assessments (Ranking) Include a degree of uncertainty Useful information for the institutions involved in direct actions
So far Reviewing 1172 species 358 published Capturing and updating information Risk assessments 22 finished 25 in course
Other activities Follow up and collaboration on different for a and projects at national, regional and international levels (I3N, GISIN, CCA, NAPPO, TDWG, CBD) Call for projects on AIS (2008) 11 projects Effects of climate change on invasive species Proposal of a GEF project for AIS in Mexico
Recent developments Changes in the Law Include the term invasive exotic species Requests the development of invasive species lists for Mexico Forbids the introduction of AIS or species that might carry AIS into the country
Thank you! Gracias! Patricia Koleff Isabel González Georgia Born-Schmidt For more information Email: especiesinvasoras@conabio.gob.mx Webpage: www.conabio.gob.mx/invasoras Thanks to Roberto Mendoza, Laura Arriaga, Salvador Contreras and other participants in this national effort