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Updated: Jul 9, 2025

Assessing Intertidal Populations of the Invasive European Green Crab

Assessing Intertidal Populations of the Invasive European Green Crab

Published on: September 16, 2020

Using the IUCN Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa to inform decision-making.

Sabrina Kumschick^1,2, Sandro Bertolino³, Tim M Blackburn^4,5

¹Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology

|December 5, 2023

Summary

The Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) is a vital tool for managing invasive species and biodiversity loss. It uses a precautionary approach to assess environmental impacts, ensuring effective conservation strategies.

Keywords:

biological invasions evaluación de impacto evidence synthesis impact assessment invasión biológica managing invasive species manejo de especies invasoras precautionary principle principio de precaución síntesis de evidencias 影响评估生物入侵管理入侵物种证据整合预防性原则

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Last Updated: Jul 9, 2025

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Area of Science:

Ecology
Conservation Biology
Environmental Science

Background:

The Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) is an IUCN standard for assessing alien species' environmental impacts.
EICAT is crucial for biological invasion policy, management, and national decision-making.
Recent challenges to EICAT's precautionary approach principles have emerged.

Purpose of the Study:

To defend the scientific validity and necessity of EICAT's precautionary principle in managing biological invasions.
To highlight the risks of ignoring the precautionary principle in non-native species management.
To emphasize EICAT's role in achieving global biodiversity targets.

Main Methods:

The study reviews criticisms of EICAT's precautionary approach.
It analyzes the scientific basis for considering a species' impact history.
It discusses the consequences of neglecting the precautionary principle in invasion management.

Main Results:

Criticisms of EICAT are often based on subjective assumptions that can undermine global management efforts.
EICAT's precautionary principle is scientifically justified, as some alien taxa possess inherent harmful traits.
Ignoring this principle leads to severe biodiversity loss, ecosystem damage, and increased economic costs.

Conclusions:

EICAT remains an essential tool for prioritizing and managing non-native species.
Adherence to the precautionary principle is critical for mitigating devastating impacts of biological invasions.
EICAT aids in monitoring progress towards the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Target 6.