Lina Mink Jagger has a bright future ahead of her, despite the fact that she is unwanted in Norwegian nature. Photo: The Norwegian Society for Protection of Animals, Tromsø.
that organises available information.
“We want to generate a stronger focus on
and more knowledge of the challenges associ-
ated with alien species, and what we can do is to
highlight and point out the knowledge gaps we
find. We need much more information to ascer-
tain the challenges, consequences and what
methods should be used in the fight against
invasive species.”
Need more knowledge
This makes the work of biologists like Stien
essential in the fight against alien species.
Along with her UiT colleagues, Rolf Anker Ims
og Nigel G. Yoccoz, her research has produced
the knowledge base and recommendations that
form the scientific basis for the national action
plan against mink, one of the best known spec
ies on the Black List.
“It would be virtually impossible to com-
pletely eradicate the mink here in Norway. So
the focus is mostly on eliminating mink from
selected high-risk areas where it will be diffi-
cult for it to return, like on small islands where
endangered bird species nest,” explains Stien.
But even with the strong efforts she and her
colleagues make, she says that they still have far
too little knowledge of mink in Norway.
“So far, there have been few systematic stud-
ies onmink inNorway. We know nothing about
the density of the mink population or what the
consequences will be if we eliminate the mink
population from a certain area. Will other mink
immediately move in? Will removing the mink
have an impact on the reproductive rates of
ground-nesting birds or will other predators
move in and do the same damage? These are
some of the questions we’re trying to answer,”
she explains.
Stien tells that what is particularly lacking is
information on population density and poten-
tial distribution in the selected areas.
“This is essential if we are going to eliminate
mink from an area. We need to know whether it
will actually have an effect. Have we succeeded
if we remove 100 mink? If you want to claim
that the mink has a negative impact on other
species, then you have to measure whether
that was actually true after the mink have been
removed.”
Stien herself is from the UK and wishes the
fight against alien species would be stepped up
here in Norway.
“In the UK, we have a dense population and
almost no nature left. So, we have been very
conscious of preserving what we have left. In
48
labyrint
•
research magazine
from
u
i
t
the
arctic
university
of
norway
Vascular plants
(all land plants except
mosses)
account for over half of the alien
species in Norway.
