Recording Invasive Species Counts – the RISC project
It has been estimated that the cost of invasive species to the worldwide economy is about five percent of the world economy. Some may argue that the negative impacts on our native flora and fauna are even more serious. The aims of the Recording Invasive Species Counts (RISC) project are to encourage interest in invasive non-native species, and to involve the public in recording some of them. Useful data on the distributions and ecology of the chosen species will be generated.
RISC is being run by the Biological Records Centre within the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, National Biodiversity Network, Anglia Ruskin University and GB Non-native Species Secretariat and is funded by Defra. This web-based project with online recording launched on 22nd March 2010.
For the launch of the project, three animal and three plant species were chosen for recording – Muntjac deer Muntiacus reevesi, Zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha, Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis, Creeping water primrose Ludwigia peploides, Tree of Heaven Ailanthus altissima and American skunk cabbage Lysichiton americanus. RISC runs the surveys in association with the relevant national recording schemes and societies for the selected species – the People’s Trust for Endangered Species, the Mammal Society, the Marine Biological Association, the Conchological Society and the Botanical Society of the British Isles. Involving these societies is pivotal to the success of RISC and the project could not run without them.
Why these species?
The animal and plant species were chosen for a variety of reasons.
For Muntjac deer, a species widely established in southern and central Britain, the main interest is in the northward range expansion. For Zebra mussel, after a lengthy period of stability, there are signs of recent expansion which should be tracked. Chinese mitten crab has few competitors and can seriously affect crayfish and damage river banks. Its spread needs to be closely monitored.
In Britain, Creeping water primrose is currently the rarest of the six RISC species, but probably the most invasive. The Non-native Species Secretariat has received an increasing number of recent sightings and is very keen to know of any new sites with this species. Some invasive species are faring better as the climate warms, and this may apply to Tree of Heaven.
American skunk cabbage is probably the least well-known of the six species, and its impacts on native species are poorly understood. It is hoped that the data collected by RISC will help scientists learn more about the ecology of this plant in Britain.
How does the RISC project work?
Recorders are asked to upload a photo of their sighting, and these are then checked and verified by the relevant recording society. This ensures that high quality data is uploaded to the NBN Gateway.
The following information is available on the RISC website –
- Information and images for the six species – including species fact sheets
- Online recording forms
- Links to many other surveys for non-native species
The launch of the RISC project took place at the Linnean Society of London on Monday 22nd March. Chaired by Jim Munford, Chief Executive of the NBN Trust and with presentations by Huw Thomas of Defra, Helen Roy of the Biological Records Centre and Peter Brown of Anglia Ruskin University the attendees were given an introduction to the need for monitoring non-natives, information on the GB Non-natives Information Portal and information on the project itself.
We could not have wished for a higher profile in the press with, to date, articles appearing in the Guardian and the Daily Mail and interviews on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Oxford drive time, BBC Radio Scotland (Fred Macaulay show) and Anglia TV.
Project next phase
The project had a great start and we are encouraged by the number of records that are coming in. Now we have added four more species to help us gain information on more species. These are:
- American Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus
- Floating Pennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
- Water Fern Azolla filiculoides
- Citrus Longhorn Beetle Anoplophora chinensis
The Botanical Society of the British Isles continues to help with the new plant species that have been added, Floating Pennywort and Water Fern, and we are delighted to have the valuable input from FERA for the Citrus Longhorn Beetle and Amphibian and Reptile Conservation for the American Bullfrog.
For more information or to submit a record, please visit www.nonnativespecies.org/recording
Written by:
Peter Brown, Anglia Ruskin University & RISC project co-ordinator
Mandy Henshall, National Biodiversity Network & RISC project manager
Jim Bacon, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology & RISC web developer
Helen Roy, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology & RISC project manager