Perspectives in Biosecurity | 2024 | Volume 9 | pp i

Aotearoa / New Zealand’s isolation has long been a natural defence against invasive species. Unfortunately, the barrier that the Pacific Ocean represents is becoming more and more ‘leaky’ (Robinson & McNeill 2022) as overseas visitors, importation of goods, visiting ships and the prevailing winds bring unwanted organisms to our shores. Climate change intensifies the challenges, with the spread of new invasive species predicted, along with the range expansion of species already present (Keegan et al. 2022).

On land, myrtle rust (Austropuccinea psidii) continues to infect members of the Myrtaceae, with devastating impacts on species such as ramarama (Lophomyrtus bullata) and swamp maire (Syzygium maire), with little prospect for viable control methods to date (Schmid et al. 2021).

Freshwater ecosystems are also under siege from invasive species such as the gold clam (Corbicula fluminea), discovered in the Waikato River in May 2023. This species, native to Eastern Asia, has already spread to North America, South America and Europe, and is known to compete with native species and clog freshwater infrastructure (Somerville et al. 2024). There is little chance of eradicating this species now that it is present in Aotearoa / New Zealand, and the official response is to limit the spread of the species and carry out surveillance to identify any new incursion sites.

In the marine environment, two invasive seaweeds in the genus Caulerpa (C. brachypus and C. parvifolia) continue to spread through the upper North Island, after first being found in Aotearoa / New Zealand in July 2021 at Aotea Great Barrier Island (Hilliam et al. 2024). Eradication or treatment attempts have involved the use of suction dredging and ultraviolet light, with mixed results (Biosecurity New Zealand 2024).

The role of early surveillance and research cannot be underestimated. The single paper in the 2024 volume of Perspectives in Biosecurity (Fisher 2024) reports the finding of a single dead spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) in the Waikato region and recommends updating the current risk assessment for this highly invasive species.

This journal has had somewhat of a hiatus since the death of co-editor Dr Mel Galbraith, on 28 September 2023. Mel co-founded Perspectives in Biosecurity in 2017, and he oversaw the publication of seven volumes of papers from a range of disciplines. His leadership and friendship will be greatly missed.

Professor Peter de Lange has recently joined me as co-editor, bringing new energy to take Perspectives in Biosecurity into 2025.

Dan Blanchon
Senior Editor

References

Biosecurity New Zealand (2024, October 1). Summary of current known exotic caulerpa locations and Summary of Biosecurity New Zealand funded removal trials or removal missions. Available online: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/65901

Fisher, L. M. K. (2024). Post-border detection of the highly invasive Lycorma delicatula (White 1845) (Fulgoridae: Hemiptera) in Aotearoa / New Zealand: Implications for the biosecurity of Aotearoa. Perspectives in Biosecurity, 9: 1–10. https://doi.org/10.34074/pibs.00901

Hilliam, K., Treml, E. A., Stevenson, S., Floerl, O. (2024). Recreational vessel networks reveal potential hot spots for marine pest introduction and spread. Journal of Applied Ecology, 61 (7): 1716–1727. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14660

Keegan, L. J., White, R. S., Macinnis-Ng, C. (2022). Current knowledge and potential impacts of climate change on New Zealand’s biological heritage. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 46(1): 3467. https://dx.doi.org/10.20417/nzjecol.46.10

Robinson, A. P., McNeill, M. R. (2022). Biosecurity and post-arrival pathways in New Zealand: Relating alien organism detections to tourism indicators. NeoBiota, 71: 51–69. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.71.64618

Schmid, L., Large, M., Galbraith, M., de Lange, P. (2021). Observation of Western Honeybee (Apis mellifera) foraging urediniospores from myrtle-rust-infected maire tawake (Syzygium maire), Ōwairaka / Mt Albert, Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland, New Zealand. Perspectives in Biosecurity, 6: 1–7. https://www.unitec.ac.nz/epress/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Perspectives-in-Biosecurity-6_Observation-of-western-honeybee-Apis-mellifera.pdf

Somerville, R., MacNeil, C., Lee, F. (2024). Habitat suitability of Aotearoa New Zealand for the recently invaded gold clam (Corbicula fluminea). New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 58: 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288330.2024.2368856