Parallel concepts and future opportunities across the biological control and invasion sciences
Ross N Cuthbert1, Nompumelelo Baso2, Tressia Chikodza3
1Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom; South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Journal of Environmental Management
|February 28, 2026
Summary
Integrating biological control and invasion sciences requires addressing context-dependencies and improving communication. This enhances ecological understanding and management efficacy for both fields.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Biological Control
- Invasion Science
Background:
- Biological control and invasion sciences are established fields with significant interest.
- Theoretical and practical integration between these two fields is currently limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify conceptual parallels and future opportunities for strengthening the links between biological control and invasion sciences.
- To address future challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration.
Main Methods:
- Expert elicitation process involving participants from both biological control and invasion sciences.
- Identification of conceptual parallels and opportunities for integration.
Main Results:
- Both fields exhibit pervasive context-dependencies (e.g., climate change, scale, ecological surprises) impacting outcome predictions.
- Need for terminological streamlining, technology sharing, and addressing taxonomic decline.
- Social perceptions and decision-maker awareness significantly influence both fields, necessitating improved engagement and translation.
Conclusions:
- Cross-cutting interdisciplinary advances are crucial for enhancing the understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes.
- Improved integration will bolster socio-ecological challenge management and increase management efficacy in biological control and invasion science.
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