Research has exposed the frequent, high-volume trade in pest plants across Australia.
State and territory governments are adopting our automated surveillance approach to help regulate the online trade in plants and other wildlife. Biosecurity officers can receive automatic alerts for suspected illegal trade rather than manually monitoring websites or relying on reports from the public.
Certain plants are prohibited in Australia because they are harmful to our unique natural environment and agricultural industries. These weeds can threaten native species, fuel severe fires, and choke rivers.
Weeds are also a social and cultural threat for First Nations people because they can compete with traditional food and medicine plants, causing them to decline.
Overall, invasive plants are estimated to have cost Australia A$200 billion since 1960.
Read more at phys.org