TY - JOUR AU - Bayliss, Helen R. AU - Schindler, Stefan AU - Essl, Franz AU - Rabitsch, Wolfgang AU - Pullin, Andrew S. PY - 2015 DA - 2015/04/12 TI - What evidence exists for changes in the occurrence, frequency or severity of human health impacts resulting from exposure to alien invasive species in Europe? A systematic map protocol JO - Environmental Evidence SP - 10 VL - 4 IS - 1 AB - Invasive alien species are of global concern due to their impacts on biodiversity, related ecosystem services and on economy. A number of invasive alien species are also responsible for human health impacts, either as carriers (vectors) of pathogens, as causal agents of toxic or allergic reactions (e.g. to pollen or insect stings) or injuries. However, there has been relatively little attention given to these human health effects in invasion ecology literature, with no attempts to systematically identify and quantify evidence of impacts. It is likely that further invasive alien species will benefit from global change as some invasive traits provide high plasticity and therefore support adaptation capacities to cope with changing conditions. Thus, global change may lead to new public health concerns as invasive alien species expand their range or enter new areas, or may alter the severity of health impacts by changing the physiology or quantity of potential allergens or irritants produced. This mapping review aims at identifying any evidence for changes in the occurrence, frequency or severity of human health impacts resulting from exposure to invasive alien species in Europe over the last 25 years. SN - 2047-2382 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s13750-015-0037-4 DO - 10.1186/s13750-015-0037-4 ID - Bayliss2015 ER -