HARMFUL NON-INDIGENOUS INSECT SPECIES IN PUERTO RICO: HOW TO HALT THE INVASION?

Authors: FRANQUI, ROSA - UNIV. OF PUERTO RICO; PANTOJA, ALBERTO

Submitted to: Caribbean Food Crops Society Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2005
Publication Date: 7/10/2005
Citation: Franqui, R., Pantoja, A. 2005. Harmful non-indigenous insect species in Puerto Rico: how to halt the invasion?. Caribbean Food Crops Society Proceedings.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Non-Indigenous pests are a serious threat to Caribbean and mainland agriculture. It is well established that invasive species can impose considerable burden on society in terms of damage and cost of eradication and control. Additionally, are a major threat to natural ecosystems and their species, second only to direct destruction of habitats by humans. The impact of invasive species is particularly devastating to island ecosystems, which harbour much of the world's threatened biodiversity. Because of its environmental conditions and for its one of the centers of commerce and greater mobilization of cargo of the Caribbean, Puerto Rico is constantly threatened by the introduction of exotic insects. These species are generally major pests of considerable economic risk for the agricultural industry on the Island. There is evidence that an average of 1.37 invasive insect species per year have been introduced during the last 40 years into the island. This increase is mostly due to the physical impossibility of inspecting all people and cargo, low probability of discovering agricultural contraband, increased volume of passenger traffic, containerized shipping practice, lack of trained taxonomists and other diagnostic and control personnel, and first class mail route of entry of non-native species. In addition, the introductions of these exotic pests compromise our efforts in facilitating exports with our trading partners, who are equally concerned about these damaging pests.