What is biological invasion?

These are some "biological immigrants" who have crossed mountains and oceans, perhaps a bacterium, a plant or an animal. When they came to a foreign country, they gained a broad living space because they lost the balance of natural enemies, grew rapidly, and occupied lakes and land, while "indigenous creatures" withered or even died out because of their squeezing. This is a biological invasion.

Biological invasion may be strange to people, but when it comes to foot-and-mouth disease, mad cow disease and even AIDS, people are not unfamiliar. In fact, these are all kinds of biological invasions. Some animals and plants that people often mentioned in the past are also invasive creatures in some places, such as morning glory, water hyacinth, Mediterranean liriomyza sativae, lantana, whitebait and so on.

Biological invasion can be divided into intentional and unintentional. With the introduction of species, on the one hand, these immigrants may benefit mankind, on the other hand, they may have a certain impact on the local ecological environment and even economic development. Apart from mad cow disease and foot-and-mouth disease, the disasters brought to human beings are very painful, because harmful organisms are endangering human health and the safety of agricultural organisms all the time. In recent years, alien invasive species have caused serious harm to China's biodiversity and ecological environment, and also caused huge economic losses. In order to prevent and control the invasion of alien species, protect biodiversity and ecological environment, ensure national environmental security and promote sustainable economic and social development, the State Environmental Protection Administration and China Academy of Sciences jointly published the list of the first batch of alien invasive species in China, with a total of 16 species, namely Eupatorium adenophorum, Mikania micrantha, Alternanthera philoxeroides, Spartina alterniflora, Eupatorium odoratum and Eichhornia crassipes.