Control and adaptation strategies for invasive species with different life history

Katarina Elofsson and Ing-Marie Gren ()
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Ing-Marie Gren: Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Postal: Box 7013, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden

No 2013:4, Working Paper Series from Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department Economics

Abstract: The issue of timing and scope of policies to manage invasive species has achieved considerable attention in the economic literature. Whereas many earlier studies compare prevention and control for a single invading species, we focus instead on the optimal balance of adaptation and control when an invasive species competes for scarce resources with a resident species. In particular, we focus on the role that species’ life history, i.e. the degree of evolutionary specialization in survival or reproduction, plays for the choice of strategy. A numerical age-structured optimization model is used for the analysis. Results show that life history is an important factor for the trade-off between direct control of the invader and adaptation of harvesting strategies for the resident species. Life history is also crucial for the trade-off between early and delayed control of the invader. When a direct control technology is not available, there are larger economic losses with a resident species specialized in survival, whereas if such technologies are available, the larger losses occur with a resident species specialized in reproduction.

Keywords: Invasive species; life history; control; harvest; adaptation; costs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D99 Q29 Q57 Q58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 32 pages
Date: 2013-03-27
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-env
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hhs:slueko:2013_004

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