The Cylindropuntia spinosior cactus, the boreal raccoon (Procyon lotor), the oriental wasp (Vespa orientalis), the red-headed parakeet (Psittacara mitratus), the gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) and the Vietnamese pig (Sus scrofa var. domestica) are some of the 172 plants and animals included in the Black List of exotic species with the greatest invasive potential in Catalonia. This catalog has been created by the Exocat project, an information system managed by the Department of Climate Action of the Generalitat with the coordination of CREAF. The system for monitoring exotic or invasive species in Catalonia is based on the methodology proposed at the international level by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), whose new world report was presented on Monday 4 of September.
Among the different control measures for this problem, IPBES recommends creating information systems, carrying out prevention plans with black lists and alerts, or devoting efforts to eradicating some species in the incipient phase of invasion, among others.
In this context, the Department of Climate Action of the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Natural Heritage and Biodiversity Observatory are working to integrate the data on invasive species collected by institutions and initiatives that should later be used to plan and manage this environmental, social and economic. The bulk of this work is carried out by CREAF, which has led the development of the black lists and warnings of the most dangerous species that could enter Catalonia in the coming years and on which work is done as a priority.
Experts and institutions have been working in Catalonia for more than a decade on the preparation and maintenance of these Exocat project lists of invasive species and now, for the first time, updates are available that are fully aligned with the international scientific recommendations of the IPBES.
Exocat's latest annual report, presented in January this year, expanded the current list of species present, built thanks to an online information system managed by the Department of Climate Action with the coordination of CREAF.
“The international IPBES report shows that Catalonia is in line with the recommendations made by science in which the emphasis of current policies is on prevention and rapid response. Blacklists and alerts are a very effective tool to prioritize where it is necessary to put prevention and detection efforts and ensure that we respond quickly and accurately,” confirms Marc Vilahur, general director of Environmental Policies and Natural Environment of the Department of Action. Climate.
“In this document, IPBES recommends that open and interoperable information systems be put in place to improve the coordination and efficiency of management actions to combat invasive species. Catalonia has had this system for 10 years thanks to Exocat and the joint work between CREAF and the Department of Climate Action”, adds Joan Pino, director of CREAF.
The 2023 edition of EXOCAT has drawn up the first black lists and alert lists with potentially invasive species in the Catalan territory. Almost 300 species that require control and eradication actions, in the case of the 172 species on the black list, and monitoring and surveillance in the case of the 125 on the alert list.
The list is ordered according to the priority of action:
The priority 1 black list includes the exotic species with the greatest invasive potential, which have indeed been detected in Catalonia, but are not yet considered invasive. They require urgent control and eradication actions. It is based on species listed in Royal Decree 630/2013 or in Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 (or subsequent amendments), as well as on the list of priority species for Catalonia.
The priority 2 black list includes species with less invasive potential and that have been detected in Catalonia, but are not yet considered invasive. They are species listed in Annex II of Royal Decree 1628/2011. They do not require preferential action, but should be taken into account in control actions.
The priority 1 red alert list includes the exotic species with the greatest invasive capacity that have not been detected in Catalonia but that require care to prevent their entry into the territory. They are listed in Royal Decree 630/2013 or in Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 (or subsequent amendments), as well as in the list of priority species for Catalonia.
The priority 2 red alert list includes species with minor invasive potential in the Iberian Peninsula, which have never been detected in Catalonia. They are species listed in Annex II of Royal Decree 1628/2011. Despite being absent from the current regulations, it is convenient to keep them in mind in surveillance actions.
The dominant groups on these black and alert lists are plants, birds, aquatic invertebrates and mammals. Most of the birds considered a priority and with invasive potential are already present in Catalonia and, therefore, included in the black lists, while an important part of the plants and mammals have not yet been detected in the territory and are included in alert lists.
The most sought after species in Catalonia that have already been found in Catalonia but are not yet invasive (blacklist) cover different groups of animals and plants. For example, in terms of plants, the stinging cacti of the genus Cylindropuntia (C. spinosior), some aquatic plants, especially of the genus Ludwigia (L. grandiflora) or Egeria densa and Eicchornia crassipes stand out. In the case of insects, we can highlight the oriental wasp (Vespa orientalis), detected for the first time in the port of Barcelona in 2022 and initially eradicated by the Department of Climate Action.
Regarding birds, we make a special mention of the parrots of the old Aaratinga genus that would be found in the city of Barcelona and in the Barcelona metropolitan area, such as Psittacara mitratus or Nandayus nenday. The two most sought-after mammals are the raccoon (Procyon lotor) and the Vietnamese pig (Sus scrofa var. domestica), both of which are subject to control measures by the Department of Climate Action.
Regarding those that are not yet in Catalonia but are present and invasive in neighboring or nearby territories (alert list), marine algae such as Caulerpa taxifolia, Asian crabs (Cherax destructor, Eriocheir sinensis) and mammals stand out. showy species that are already widespread in Europe: the Javan mongoose (Herpestes javanicus), the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), the gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), the squirrel (Ammotragus lervia), the montjac (Muntiacus reevesi) and the American muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus).
The Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda and the Ebro Delta Natural Park have declared the presence of the bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) in the delta eradicated this August, although sampling will be repeated in 2024 to confirm its eradication. The latest monitoring results of this invasive species have not detected its presence in any of the points analyzed.
“Early detection and rapid and forceful action have been key to obtaining the recent eradication of the bullfrog in Catalonia, which is considered a success story, given the high potential for adaptation of this invasive species in a complex system such as the delta del Ebro” explains Marc Vilahur. The important collaboration of the various entities, volunteers, research teams and experts who have participated in the eradication plan has also stood out in this fight.
The bullfrog was detected for the first time in June 2018, when larvae were found in the green filter lagoons of Isla de Mar (left hemidelta). Given the impact that this species could cause in the delta, control measures were immediately implemented to contain the detected nucleus and prevent its dispersal, and an eradication plan was launched.
"The main reason why these species arouse more concern is their ability to tolerate different environmental conditions, and above all their great capacity for dispersal and colonization of the territory, which makes their control difficult," explains Roser Rotchés, Exocat's technical coordinator.
In addition, most of them have a significant impact on the natural environment, altering conditions and displacing native species. Aquatic plants can also alter the water levels of rivers and lagoons, being able to obstruct irrigation infrastructure, for example. Others present impacts on human health or the economy, such as the Cylindropuntia cacti, which can be a danger to animals and humans due to their spikes, or the Oriental Vespa, which can be problematic for the beekeeping sector and a danger to humans for bites. Likewise, parrots cause important impacts on agriculture. As for mammals, some can be very voracious carnivores and carry diseases that affect local fauna or even humans.
