BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS OF ALIEN SPECIES – A GLOBAL CHALLENGE IN THE LAST DECADES

Biological invasions of alien species – the occupation by living organisms of territories and water areas outside their historical range – have now acquired a gigantic scale, affecting all countries and continents. The recent trends in the development of the invasive process indicate its significant intensification. The proposed review provides information on the scale of biological invasions on Earth, history, current state and main directions of scientific research in this area. In particular, the factors that determine the possibility of invasion of an alien species are considered; stages of the invasive process; ecological, genetic and evolutionary consequences of invasions for natural ecosystems; the impact of invasive species on human safety and health and the social and economic sectors; approaches to forecasting and control of the invasive process.