RECONCEIVING BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS AS A SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL PHENOMENON USING THE CASE STUDY OF BEAVERS

CHRISTOPHER B. ANDERSON; J. CRISTOBAL PIZARRO

Invasive Exotic Mammals of Argentina

Sociedad Argentina para el Estudio de Mamiferos (SAREM)

Año: 2023; p. 31 - 51

The ways we conceive biodiversity determine how we investigate and manage it. In the case of invasive exotic species, they have mostly been viewed with an ecological lens, even those with clear ecological and social implications, such as the North American beaver (Castor canadensis) in Tierra del Fuego. We use this case to consider how re-conceiving biological invasions as socio-ecological phenomenon, with multiple human and natural drivers and outcomes, can improve our holistic and predictive capabilities of integrated research and management. Specifically, we approach the issue by evaluating how scientific paradigms in ecology have incorporated humans into ecosystems (or not), subsequently applying these perspectives to the conceptualization, study and management of C. canadensis in southern Patagonia. We found that most research and management efforts concerning the invasive beaver has been from a perspective that either ignores the human dimension or conceives of humans (and beavers) as agents of ecosystem disturbance. Recently, the multi-faceted roles of humans have been recognized more explicitly. However, social research has been catalyzed largely by a binational political agreement between Argentina and Chile to eradicate beavers and restore ?natural? ecosystems, which still conceives of humans as separate from, or disturbers of, nature. Therefore, even though emerging perspectives of beavers increasingly include a human dimension, our evaluation of this case study still finds significant limitations to fully integrated research and applications due to an unconsolidated paradigm that of humans as ?co-participants? in ecosystems. From this analysis, we propose three lessons that can help others re-conceive biological invasions as socio-ecological phenomenon: i) build an interdisciplinary research agenda, ii) create communities of knowledge between academics, decision-makers and other social actors and iii) teach history and philosophy in the natural science curriculum that produces most biological invasion researchers and managers.