An Ecosystem-Service Approach to Evaluate the Role of Non-Native Species in Urbanized Wetlands

Rita S. W. Yam, Ko-Pu Huang, Hwey-Lian Hsieh, Hsing-Juh Lin and Shou-Chung Huang
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Rita S. W. Yam: Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
Ko-Pu Huang: Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
Hwey-Lian Hsieh: Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
Hsing-Juh Lin: Department of Life Sciences and Research Center for Global Change Biology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
Shou-Chung Huang: Taiwan Wetland Society, Hsinchu City 300, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 12, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: Natural wetlands have been increasingly transformed into urbanized ecosystems commonly colonized by stress-tolerant non-native species. Although non-native species present numerous threats to natural ecosystems, some could provide important benefits to urbanized ecosystems. This study investigated the extent of colonization by non-native fish and bird species of three urbanized wetlands in subtropical Taiwan. Using literature data the role of each non-native species in the urbanized wetland was evaluated by their effect (benefits/damages) on ecosystem services (ES) based on their ecological traits. Our sites were seriously colonized by non-native fishes (39%–100%), but <3% by non-native birds. Although most non-native species could damage ES regulation (disease control and wastewater purification), some could be beneficial to the urbanized wetland ES. Our results indicated the importance of non-native fishes in supporting ES by serving as food source to fish-eating waterbirds (native, and migratory species) due to their high abundance, particularly for Oreochromis spp. However, all non-native birds are regarded as “harmful” species causing important ecosystem disservices, and thus eradication of these bird-invaders from urban wetlands would be needed. This simple framework for role evaluation of non-native species represents a holistic and transferable approach to facilitate decision making on management priority of non-native species in urbanized wetlands.

Keywords: urban ecosystems; alien species; exotic species; management; ecosystem services; Asian wetlands (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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