Australia prepares to safeguard nation against five new biosecurity threats
The threat of invasive pests is likely to dramatically rise because of the 'serious threat' of climate change.
Australia will face new biosecurity threats from invasive species because the countries it regularly trades with are set to dramatically change. Researchers have focused on five insects and molluscs that could hitchhike to the country in contaminated consignments of goods including motor vehicle parts and foods.
The federal Department of Agriculture (DAFF) has been presented with modelling that focuses on the direct impact of climate change by Melbourne University’s Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis (CEBRA). Its staff were told the same technology could also be used to predict other influences including changes in trade patterns or even the possible election of Donald Trump in the United States.
“Being aware of long-term shifting trade patterns and pathways helps focus research, preparation and planning for biosecurity risks,” a DAFF spokesperson told Yahoo News.
Which five pests have Australian authorities been briefed on?
DAFF has been receiving regular updates from CEBRA, including the spongy moth, Asian honeybee, giant African snails and khapra beetles. But it is the brown marmorated stink bug that has been of particular focus because it threatens the production of 300 types of fruit, ornamental trees and vegetable crops.
This species is well-known to stow away in cargo, particularly imports from the northern hemisphere that arrive between September and April.
Stopping the tiny brown pest becoming established in Australia is also a concern of the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPRID) which told Yahoo News it has responded to several border and near-border detections this year.
“These detections were associated with imports and one report of brown marmorated stink bug found in a traveller’s luggage. Response activities involved surveillance, which confirmed there were no other brown marmorated stink bugs in the environment,” a spokesperson said.
Potential habitat for the brown marmorated stink bug is vast in Australia, but suitable habitats will likely be constrained to the east coast by 2100, according to CEBRA modelling. Climate change will see the pest decline in Europe and the United States, but its range could expand in Russia and Canada.
Climate change poses 'serious issues' for trade
This knowledge will allow DAFF to focus on cargo that poses the highest biosecurity risks, particularly because the country has finite resources to battle the problem.
And that's important because in May, CEBRA biosecurity expert Professor Tom Kompas warned DAFF that in general the risk of pest species invading Australia is growing. Key reasons are increasing trade, changes in species distribution due to climate change, and changes in human movement including tourism.
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Speaking directly about the impact of global warming on the planet in May, Kompas told DAFF “there are serious issues here”, as temperatures continue to rise.
The modelling predicts “dramatic” changes in imports into Australia. Increases are expected from Europe and declines from New Zealand, the United States and Asia, particularly China and India. Australia is also expected to export a significantly increased amount of products to New Zealand.
“These changes in trade patterns allow you to predict what the pest pathways would be from source countries,” Kompas added.
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