Development of a preliminary environmental risk assessment system by using text mining for introducing alien crops

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Agricultural Science
• Environmental Risk Assessment

Background:

• Global climate change and shifting crop trends drive increased introduction of alien crops.
• Introduced crops pose risks, including becoming invasive or introducing pests and diseases.
• Proactive assessment is crucial to mitigate potential negative environmental impacts of alien crops.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a crop introduction risk assessment system.
• To create a "Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment Index for Alien Crops" to evaluate environmental risks.
• To provide protocols and a manual for assessing introduced crop species.

Main Methods:

• Designed a "Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment Index for Alien Crops" with 16 questions across 4 categories.
• Utilized text mining and ecological research to inform the index design.
• Collected data from literature, search engines, and international institutions for 67 crop species introduced to South Korea.

Main Results:

• Assessed 67 crop species using the developed index.
• Established risk thresholds: >70 for 'danger', >50 for 'caution required', <50 for 'low expected impact'.
• Demonstrated the system's effectiveness in identifying potentially problematic crop species.

Conclusions:

• The developed crop introduction risk assessment system effectively identifies potentially harmful alien crops.
• The provided protocols and manual can be adapted globally for environmental risk assessment of introduced species.
• This system aids in preventing ecological disruption caused by introduced crops.