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Confronting the risks of large-scale invasive species control

Large-scale invasive species control initiatives are motivated by laudable desires for native species recovery and economic benefits, but they are not without risk. Management interventions and policies should include evidence-based risk–benefit assessment and mitigation planning.

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Figure 1: Large-scale initiatives aiming to control invasive species.

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Acknowledgements

Funding for R.K.K. to write this manuscript was provided by the 2016 Charles Sturt University, Faculty of Science, Academic Research Support Scheme.

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Correspondence to R. Keller Kopf.

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Five of the authors have submitted a grant application to Australia's Fisheries Research and Development Corporation to assess the: ‘Ecological, social and socio-economic risks and benefits of releasing koi herpes virus to control common carp, Cyprinus carpio in Australia.’

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Kopf, R., Nimmo, D., Humphries, P. et al. Confronting the risks of large-scale invasive species control. Nat Ecol Evol 1, 0172 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-017-0172

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