Biosecurity to slow the spread of invasive non-native species

入侵的非本地物种（INNS）威胁着生态系统服务，经济成本不断增加（每年约17亿英镑）。淡水生态系统特别容易受到通过贸易、运输和娱乐传播的国际非专利物质的影响。例如，斑马贻贝堵塞水管，鲑鱼虱破坏鱼类资源，漂浮的便士草扰乱航行并可能导致洪水。一旦旅馆建立起来，管理它们往往是不切实际和昂贵的。我们最有效的应对措施是加强生物安全，防止外来入侵物种的引入和传播。2015年，欧盟关于外来入侵物种的新立法强调了对外来入侵物种引入途径的管理。2010年，DEFRA发起了“检查清洁干燥”运动，鼓励人们检查、清洁和干燥设备，以杀死潜在的“搭便车”外来入侵物种，并最大限度地减少其传播。然而，对这种处理的有效性的测试表明，大多数在环境评估机构“最不想要的”名单上的物种实际上在几天的干燥中幸存下来。我们发现，将设备浸泡在手热水（450 ℃）中会导致死亡率增加（> 95%，安德森等人，2015）。这种处理方法已被纳入EA和GB非本地物种秘书处的生物安全指南，但需要进一步发展。EA已经确定，他们可以向员工和公众提供的务实建议的缺乏，加上对这些方法的有效性的理解不足，正在削弱他们管理这种风险的能力。重要的是，环境局采纳和推广的生物安全建议应有效应对最广泛的风险，即入侵性非本地动植物，以及影响动植物的疾病和寄生虫。EA即将开始一项在整个业务范围内进行设施升级的计划。他们需要知道哪些设施是有效和具有成本效益地使用公共资金的。具体来说，他们需要知道热水处理在较低温度或较短时间内的功效;还有什么其他方法，以及它们对一系列威胁（动物，植物，疾病）的功效。这一证据基础将使他们能够应用与风险相适应的生物安全水平，并增强他们向客户提供的信息。制定有效和务实的生物安全做法，以减少入侵动物、植物、寄生虫和病原体的传播。通过开发适用于入侵者风险和不同站点/组织可用资源的分层方法，提高成本效益和易用性3.通过评估工作人员的意识和行为变化，评估EA内生物安保培训的有效性。发展以证据为基础的干预措施，以鼓励吸收和传播的生物安全practice.METHODS学生将开发一个跨学科的方法。实验室和现场试验将用于制定和测试EA确定的高风险入侵植物，动物和寄生虫的生物安全协议。数据分析将在R.培训评估将使用现有的EA基线数据集以及定量（调查问卷）和定性（半结构化访谈）社会研究方法。将使用NVivo进行定性分析。通过与合作伙伴从设计到输出的合作，该项目将改善EA及其客户的生物安全，并将告知英国的INNS政策。

Invasive Non Native Species (INNS) threaten ecosystem services, with increasing economic costs (~£1.7bn pa to GB). Freshwaters ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to the spread of INNS through trade, transport and recreation. E.g. zebra mussels block water pipes, salmon lice damage fish stocks, floating pennywort disrupts navigation and can lead to flooding. Once INNS become established it is often impractical and expensive to manage them. Our most effective response is robust biosecurity to prevent their introduction and spread, with new EU legislation on Invasive Alien Species 2015 emphasising management of pathways for introduction.In 2010, DEFRA launched the "Check Clean Dry" campaign, to encourage people to check, clean and dry equipment to kill potential "hitchhiking" INNS and minimise their spread. However, tests of the effectiveness of this treatment showed that most of the species on the EAs "least wanted" list that in fact survived several days' drying. We found that soaking equipment in hand-hot water (450 C) caused increased mortality (>95%, Anderson et al. 2015). This treatment has been incorporated into the biosecurity guidance of the EA and the GB Non Native Species Secretariat, but further development is needed.KNOWLEDGE GAPS. The EA have identified that the lack of pragmatic advice that they can offer staff and the public, coupled with poor understanding with regards the efficacy of these methods, is undermining their ability to manage this risk. It is essential that the biosecurityadvice the EA adopts and promotes is effective against the broadest range of risks possible, namely invasive non-native plants and animals, and the diseases and parasites that impact plants and animals. The EA are about to embark on a programme of facilities upgrades across the business. They need to know what facilities represent an efficient and costeffective use of public money. Specifically, they need to know the efficacy of hot-water treatment at lower temperatures or for shorter durations; what other methods exist, and what efficacy they have against a range of threats (animals, plants, diseases). This evidence base will allow them to apply a level of biosecurity that is appropriate for the risk as well asenhancing the information they provide to their customer.AIMS1. Develop effective and pragmatic biosecurity practices to reduce the spread of invasive animals, plants, parasites and pathogens.2. Improve cost effectiveness and ease of use by developing a tiered approach applicable to the risks of invaders and resources available at different sites/organisations 3. Assess the efficacy of biosecurity training within the EA by evaluating staff awareness and changes in behaviour.4. Develop evidence-based interventions to encourage uptake and spread of biosecurity practice.METHODS The student will develop an interdisciplinary approach. Lab and field trials will be used to develop and test biosecurity protocols for high risk invasive plants, animals and parasites identified by the EA. Data analysis will be in R. Evaluation of training will use existing EA baseline datasets as well as quantitative (survey questionnaires) and qualitative (semi-structured interviews) social research methods. Qualitative analysis will be conducted using NVivo. By working with the partner from design through to output, the project will lead to improved biosecurity across the EA and its customers and will inform INNS policy in the UK.