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Economic Costs of Biological Invasions in Marine Systems
Liyi Yu1,2,3, Chi Zhang4, Shan Li5
1The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
Integrative Zoology
|April 16, 2026
Summary
Marine invasive species have cost at least US$4.3 billion globally since 1975, with most costs from resource damages, not management. Improved reporting and targeted strategies are crucial for managing these escalating biological invasions.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Economics
- Conservation Biology
Background:
- Marine ecosystems face escalating threats from biological invasions.
- Knowledge of invasive species impacts is geographically and taxonomically uneven.
- A global economic cost assessment is vital for risk assessment and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the total economic costs of marine biological invasions worldwide from 1975 to 2021.
- To examine cost distributions across time, regions, and organismal groups.
- To identify knowledge gaps and inform management strategies.
Main Methods:
- Global analysis of economic costs associated with marine invasive species.
- Examination of cost data distribution by time, region, and taxonomic group.
- Comparison of economic costs across marine, terrestrial, and freshwater systems.
Main Results:
- Marine invasive species have incurred at least US$4.3 billion in costs between 1975 and 2021.
- Resource damages (US$3.0 billion) constituted the majority of costs.
- Costs were heavily biased towards invertebrates and driven by single species, with limited data from Africa and South America.
Conclusions:
- Significant geographic and organismal biases exist in reported economic costs of marine invasions.
- Improved cost-reporting systems and management strategies are needed.
- Prioritizing high-risk species, vulnerable regions, and proactive measures is essential for effective management and biodiversity conservation.
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