Prioritization of potential invasive alien plants in France
Fried (2011) presents the results of a comparison between the outcomes of the EPPO Prioritization Process and the Weber ; Gut risk assessment system when used on a selection of 303 alien species occurring in France to identify those that may represent a threat, or species absent in France but considered as invasive in neighboring countries.
Overall, both methods yielded similar results, although agricultural weeds are not taken into account by Webber ; Gut. Solidago canadensis (Asteraceae, EPPO List of Invasive Alien Plants), Acacia dealbata (Fabaceae, EPPO List of IAP), Baccharis halimifolia (Asteraceae, EPPO List of IAP) and Reynoutria japonica (Polygonaceae, EPPO List of IAP) were identified among those species which presented the highest risk according to the Webber ; Gut risk assessment system. These species are also considered invasive by the EPPO prioritization process, but they are already too widespread in France for preventive measures to be efficient (except B. halimifolia).
The advantage of the EPPO prioritization process is that it makes a clear distinction between species with high impact, and emergent invasive (or potentially invasive) species for which preventive action will be most cost effective in France, e.g. Alternanthera philoxeroides (Amaranthaceae, EPPO Alert List), Eriochloa villosa (Poaceae, EPPO List of IAP), Humulus japonicus (Cannabaceae, EPPO List of IAP), Myriophyllum heterophyllum (Haloragaceae, EPPO Alert List).
Sources
Brunel S, Branquart E, Fried G, van Valkenburg J, Brundu G, Starfinger U, Buholzer S, Uludag A, Joseffson M ; Baker R (2010);The EPPO prioritization process for invasive alien plants.;Bulletin OEPP/EPPO Bulletin;40, 407-422.
Fried G (2011) Prioritization of potential invasive alien plants in France. Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop on Invasive Plants in the Mediterranean Type Regions of the World, 2010-08-02/06, Trabzon, Turkey, pp. 120-134.
Weber E, Gut D (2004) Assessing the risk of potentially invasive plant species in central Europe. Journal for Nature Conservation 3, 171-179.