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Quantifying the environmental damage and loss of biodiversity due to alien species invasions worldwide is complicated by the fact that only some 1.5 million of the estimated 10 million species on earth have been identified and described. The total numbers of introduced species in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, India, and Brazil range about 2000 to 50,000 species

Worst invasive species list in the world, a selection from the global invasive species database

Pacific island countries are particularly vulnerable to the effects of invasive species. After habitat destruction or modification, invasive species are responsible for more species extinctions than any other cause. Further, the rate of extinction of native species has been higher oil islands than anywhere else in the world. Invasive species have also degraded native ecosystems.

This is a continuation of the survey of islands in Micronesia and American Samoa for invasive plant species requested by the Pacific Islands Committee. Council of Western State Foresters. A survey of other Micronesian islands was conducted in 1998 and was discussed in a previous report2. This report summarizes a survey of the island of Rota. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, on 5 April 2000. The objectives, as with the previous survey. were three-fold: (1) To identify plant species on the island that are presently causing problems to natural and semi-natural ecosystems: (2) to identify species that, even though they are not presently a major problem, could spread more widely or spread to other islands where they are not present, potentially causing problems: and (3) to confirm the absence of species that are a problem elsewhere and. if introduced to Rota, could be a threat there.

This is a continuation of the survey of islands in Micronesia and American Samoa for invasive plant species requested by the Pacific Islands Committee, Council of Western State Foresters. A survey of other Micronesian islands was conducted in 1998 and was discussed in a previous report". This report is based on a survey of several islands of Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia, from 30 March to 4 April 2000. The objectives, as with the previous survey, were three-fold: (1) To identify plant species on the islands that are presently causing problems to natural and semi-natural ecosystems; (2) to identify species that, even though they are not presently a major problem, could spread more widely or spread to other islands where they are not present, potentially causing problems; and (3) to confirm the absence of species that are a problem elsewhere and, if introduced to Chuuk, could be a threat there. While Chuuk has little remaining natural forest, most of these species would be a problem in secondary forests and agroforestry systems, as well.

Pacilic island countries are particularly vulnerable to the effects of invasive species. After habitat destruction or modification, invasive species are responsible for more species extinctions than any other cause. Further, the rate of extinction of native species has been higher on islands than anywhere else in the world. Invasive species have also degraded native ecosystems.

Report of the Fifth Ordinary and Plenipotentiary Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Conservation of Nature in the South Pacific (Apia Convention) and Fifth Ordinary Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Natural Resources and Environment of the South Pacific Region and related Protocols (SPREP Convention), 9 October 2000, Guam