Supplementary materials for A prioritization scheme for managing terrestrial invasive invertebrate species in South Africa

This study develops and applies a weighted prioritization scheme to identify and rank alien invertebrate species requiring urgent management action. Using a framework adapted from existing models, 30 invertebrate species were assessed against six criteria: invasion status, range of occurrence, ability to spread, dispersal capacity, feasibility of control, and impact severity. Each criterion was weighted to reflect ecological and management relevance, producing a total prioritization score for each species. Results highlighted Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm), Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly), and Euwallacea fornicatus (polyphagous shot hole borer) as among the highest-risk species due to their widespread distribution, high dispersal ability, and significant ecological and economic impacts. Conversely, species such as Clogmia albipunctata and Gryllodes sigillatus ranked lower, reflecting limited distribution and manageable impacts. Notably, the scheme also identified data-deficient species, underscoring research gaps in invasion biology. This prioritization framework offers a transparent, replicable, and adaptable tool for guiding invasive invertebrate management, informing national biodiversity policy and aligning with global biosecurity objectives.

本研究开发并应用一套加权优先排序方案，以识别需采取紧急防控措施的外来无脊椎动物物种并对其开展分级排序。本研究采用适配现有模型的评估框架，针对6项指标对30种无脊椎动物进行评估，指标涵盖入侵状态、发生范围、扩散潜力、传播能力、防控可行性及危害严重程度。每项指标均依据其生态与管理相关性赋予权重，最终为每个物种生成综合优先排序得分。研究结果显示，草地贪夜蛾（Spodoptera frugiperda，秋黏虫）、地中海实蝇（Ceratitis capitata，地中海果蝇）以及多食性射孔蠹（Euwallacea fornicatus，多食性射孔蛀虫）属于高风险物种，究其原因在于它们分布广泛、传播能力强，且造成了严重的生态与经济危害。与之相对，白斑蛾蠓（Clogmia albipunctata）与装饰蟋蟀（Gryllodes sigillatus）等物种的排序位次较低，这与其分布范围有限、危害易于管控的特征相符。值得注意的是，该方案还识别出数据缺失的物种，凸显了入侵生物学领域的研究空白。该优先排序框架可为外来无脊椎动物防控提供透明、可复制且可灵活调整的工具，为国家生物多样性政策制定提供参考，并契合全球生物安全目标。