Developing thresholds of potential concern for invasive alien species: Hypotheses and concepts

The Kruger National Park (KNP) has developed and refined a system of management called ‘strategic adaptive management’ (SAM), which rests on the concept of ‘threshold of potential concern’ (TPC). TPCs represent end-points in a continuum of change. When thresholds are reached – at which point concern...

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Main Author: Llewellyn C. Foxcroft
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2009-03-01
Series:Koedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/157
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author Llewellyn C. Foxcroft
author_facet Llewellyn C. Foxcroft
author_sort Llewellyn C. Foxcroft
collection DOAJ
description The Kruger National Park (KNP) has developed and refined a system of management called ‘strategic adaptive management’ (SAM), which rests on the concept of ‘threshold of potential concern’ (TPC). TPCs represent end-points in a continuum of change. When thresholds are reached – at which point concerns of negative impacts on biodiversity are raised – management options are explicitly considered and implemented. This paper describes the TPCs developed for monitoring and managing invasive alien species (IAS). More importantly, however, it describes the conceptual understanding, principles and hypotheses adopted as the foundations for setting these TPCs. In accordance with adaptive management practices, the TPCs will be revised as the ecological and conceptual understanding of invasions grows and information is gained through research in the KNP and elsewhere. Conservation implication: In accepting that species and systems are variable, and that flux is inevitable and desirable, these TPCs developed for invasive alien species specifi cally, provide end points against which monitoring can be assessed. Once a threshold is reached, the cause of the threshold being exceeded is examined and management interventions recommended.
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spelling doaj.art-877eb0ce91d1419e9c933b92df847a102022-12-22T02:40:31ZengAOSISKoedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science0075-64582071-07712009-03-01511e1e610.4102/koedoe.v51i1.157646Developing thresholds of potential concern for invasive alien species: Hypotheses and conceptsLlewellyn C. Foxcroft0South African National ParksThe Kruger National Park (KNP) has developed and refined a system of management called ‘strategic adaptive management’ (SAM), which rests on the concept of ‘threshold of potential concern’ (TPC). TPCs represent end-points in a continuum of change. When thresholds are reached – at which point concerns of negative impacts on biodiversity are raised – management options are explicitly considered and implemented. This paper describes the TPCs developed for monitoring and managing invasive alien species (IAS). More importantly, however, it describes the conceptual understanding, principles and hypotheses adopted as the foundations for setting these TPCs. In accordance with adaptive management practices, the TPCs will be revised as the ecological and conceptual understanding of invasions grows and information is gained through research in the KNP and elsewhere. Conservation implication: In accepting that species and systems are variable, and that flux is inevitable and desirable, these TPCs developed for invasive alien species specifi cally, provide end points against which monitoring can be assessed. Once a threshold is reached, the cause of the threshold being exceeded is examined and management interventions recommended.https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/157adaptive managementcontrolexotic speciesobjectives hierarchy
spellingShingle Llewellyn C. Foxcroft
Developing thresholds of potential concern for invasive alien species: Hypotheses and concepts
Koedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science
adaptive management
control
exotic species
objectives hierarchy
title Developing thresholds of potential concern for invasive alien species: Hypotheses and concepts
title_full Developing thresholds of potential concern for invasive alien species: Hypotheses and concepts
title_fullStr Developing thresholds of potential concern for invasive alien species: Hypotheses and concepts
title_full_unstemmed Developing thresholds of potential concern for invasive alien species: Hypotheses and concepts
title_short Developing thresholds of potential concern for invasive alien species: Hypotheses and concepts
title_sort developing thresholds of potential concern for invasive alien species hypotheses and concepts
topic adaptive management
control
exotic species
objectives hierarchy
url https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/157
work_keys_str_mv AT llewellyncfoxcroft developingthresholdsofpotentialconcernforinvasivealienspecieshypothesesandconcepts