Invasive alien plant species in the Hindu Kush Himalaya Status and management challenges

Invasive alien species (IAS) are one of the five major drivers of global biodiversity loss. Globally, the growth of international trade and travel has led to a rapid increase in the dispersal and number of invasive species. The costs of managing these invasive species runs into billions of dollars each year. Mountains were generally considered to be less vulnerable to invasions. However, that has changed with greater connectivity, movement of goods and people, and more importantly, climate change.