MANAGEMENT OF INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES IN THAILAND Napompeth Banpot National Biological Control Research Center, Kasetsart University P.O. Box 9-25, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand ABSTRACT Thailand has its share of damages caused by invasive alien species (IAS) which are of undesirable nature but have also gained economic importance as beneficial exotic and alien cultivated species. An inventory of IAS in Thailand conducted by the Thailand CBC Subcommittee Working Group on Alien Species under the then Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment revealed over 1,500 alien species of animal, plant and microorganism origins, including both invasive and beneficial species. Over 23 invasive insect species of economic and agricultural importance have been identified. In addition, more than 39 insect species of exotic origin have been introduced for biological control purposes in the country from 1963 to the present, of which 19 parasitoids and predators were for insect pests of agricultural importance, and 20 species were for biological control of terrestrial and aquatic weeds. Two strayed natural enemies, one each of Siam weed and lantana, were also detected naturally in Thailand. The overall management strategies for these invasive insect species are the adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) approach, ranging from "no action", "single-component control tactics", and to "integrated pest control". INTRODUCTION engaged a large number of scientists in an effort to document the nature of the invasive Biological invasions are nothing new as far as species "problem" which has resulted in a the evolutionary process is concerned. Such book entitled "Biological Invasions: A Global invasions are characteristic of all living Perspective" by Drake et al. (1989) (Mooney organisms and have occurred since the origin 2000). CBD Article 8h states that each of animal and plant species and long before Contracting Party shall, as far as possible and human existence on this planet. Biological appropriate "present the introduction of, control invasions by plants, animals, and or eradicate those alien species which threaten microorganisms are as equally ancient as ecosystems, habitats or species." human civilization, and are ongoing In 1996, the concern that globalization chronologically indistinguishable by man. was having negative consequences on the However, biological invasions have lately environment led the United Nations and the become one of the major global issues of Government of Norway to convene the first concern since June 1992 soon after the international meeting on invasive alien species UNCED's Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, (IAS) in Trondheim, Norway. Participants in Brazil. Among some of the important events the "Trondheim Conference" concluded that that happened after that was the adoption of IAS had become one of the most significant the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) threats to biodiversity worldwide and which, after the required number of ratification recommended that a global strategy and by the signatories, was entered into force since mechanism to address the problem be created December 1993. immediately. As a result in 1997, the Global Prior to the Earth Summit and during the Invasive Species Program (GISP) was period 1982 and 1988, the Scientific Committee established by SCOPE, IUCN (The World on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) Conservation Union) and CABI (Commonwealth Keywords: biological invasions, invasive alien species, beneficial species, natural enemies, biological control, integrated pest management 1 Agricultural Bureau International), and the An inventory of alien species in Thailand UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) – invasive, beneficial, and naturalized – presented the GISP project to the CBD parties containing approximately 1,500 species, has and other participants at the Fourth Meeting of been compiled and is available at the Conference of the Parties (COP-4) in www.thaialienspecies.com. An overview of Bratislava, Slovak Republic in May 1998. GISP alien species in Thailand was also given by thus became a global network of scientists, Napompeth (2003) at the Regional Workshop lawyers, policy specialists, economists, on the "Prevention and Management of managers, and environmentalists, supported by Invasive Alien Species: Forging Cooperation governments and foundations, and coordinated Throughout South and Southeast Asia" by IUCN, CABI, SCOPE and others. The GISP organized by the United States Government in objectives are to assemble and make available collaboration with the Office of Environmental best practices for the prevention and Policy and Planning (OEPP) and Thailand management of IAS and to stimulate the Biodiversity Center (TBC), National Science and development of new tools in science, policy, Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) information and education for addressing IAS under the then Ministry of Science, problems (GISP, no date). Technology and Environment, on behalf of the Thailand is as much concerned with IAS Royal Thai Government, and the Global as other countries are. Canals, rivers, and water Invasive Species Program (GISP) in Bangkok on reservoirs all over the country are clogged and 14-16 August 2002 and by Napompeth, extensively infested with water hyacinth and Kongsawat and Iamsupasit (2003) at the 20th some other exotic weed species. The Water Pacific Science Congress held in Bangkok on Hyacinth Control Act was promulgated in 1913 17-21 March 2003. in order to prevent further spread of water hyacinth which was introduced as an GLOBAL INVASIVE SPECIES IN THAILAND ornamental plant intentionally from Java, Indonesia in 1901. The country landscape is Of the "100 of the World's Worst Invasive readily identifiable with exotic plant species, Alien Species," a selection from the Global some of which are invasive while many others Invasive Species database prepared by the are of economic benefit to the country. Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG), there Following the "Trondheim Conference" in 1996, are 8 microorganisms, 4 aquatic plants, 32 land the Thailand CBD Subcommittee Working plants, 9 aquatic invertebrates, 17 land Group on Alien Species was formulated and invertebrates (14 insects, 2 land snails, and 1 created in January 1997. In addition to flatworm), 3 amphibians, 8 fishes, 3 birds, 2 compiling information and preparing an reptiles, and 14 mammals (wild and inventory of the non-indigenous species of domesticated). Of these global 100 world's organisms of animal, plant and microorganism worst IAS, only 38 species are present in origins found in the country, the main task of Thailand. These are: 1 microorganism the working group is to provide consultation (Phytophora root rot, Phytophora cinnamomi); on the formulation of measures to prevent and 1 aquatic plant (water hyacinth, Eichhornia control loss of biodiversity derived from and crassipes); 13 land plants (African tulip tree, caused by the spread of IAS. The working Spathodea campanulata; cogon grass or alang group has also prepared the "Guidelines for alang, Imperata cylindrica; giant reed, Arundo the Regulation and Prevention of Biodiversity donax; hiptage, Hiptage benghalensis; Koster's Loss due to Biological Invasions" as one of curse, Clidemia hirta; lantana, Lantana the practices for the prevention and camara; leucaena, Leucaena leucocephala; management of IAS in the country, based mile-a-minute, Mikania micrantha; mimosa or essentially on the IUCN Guidelines for the giant sensitive plant, Mimosa pigra; privet, Prevention of Biodiversity Loss Caused by Ligustrum robustum; Siam weed, Chromolaena Alien Invasive Species (IUCN 2000), Plant odorata; wedelia, Wedelia trilobata; and Quarantine Act 1964 amended in 1999, and the yellow Himalayan raspberry, Rubus ellipticus); country's local encounter and experience on 1 aquatic invertebrate (golden apple snail, IAS problems (OEPP 2002). Pomacea canaliculata); 9 land invertebrates 2 consisting of 7 insects (Asian tiger mosquito, economic and agricultural importance in Aedes albopicuts; big-headed ant, Pheidole Thailand. megacephalatus; common malaria mosquito, Anopheles quadrimaculatus; Formosan INVASIVE ALIEN INSECT SPECIES subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus; khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium; and In Thailand there is no estimate on the number sweet potato whitefly or tobacco whitefly, of invasive alien insect species nor the number Bemisia tabaci), and 2 land snails (giant of all exotic insect species. The National African snail, Achatina fulica; and rosy wolf Biological Control Research Center (NBCRC) of snail, Euglandina rosea); 4 fishes (carp, Kasetsart University could identify at least 23 Cyprinus caprio; Mozambique tilapia, plus serious insect pests of economic and Oreochromis mossambicus; walking catfish, agricultural importance to be IAS (Table 1). Clarius batrachus; and Western mosquitofish, It is to be noted that only the sweet Gambusia affinis); 1 bird (Indian mynah bird, potato whitefly or tobacco whitefly, B. tabaci, Acridotheres tristis); and 8 mammals (domestic in the 100 of the World's Worst Invasive Alien cat, Felis catus; goat, Capra hircus; mouse, Species appeared in the list in Table 1. This Mus musculus; nutria, Myocastor coytus; pig, list is also not exhaustive and does not cover Sus scrofa; rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus; ship other exotic insects which may not be invasive rat, Rattus rattus; and small Indian mongoose, and could have been naturalized. The degrees Herpestes javanicus). Of these more