Raising concerns on the dangers of linking biological invasions to human migration

Citation

Barbulescu R, South J, Byrne B, Solomos J, Benson M, Silva CCV, Yemane T, Zambelli E, Anghel RG, Bacher S, Torres AMB, Bernard-Verdier M, Bibi R, Boatcă M & Pattison Z (2025) Raising concerns on the dangers of linking biological invasions to human migration. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 48 (13), pp. 2496-2501. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2025.2527906

Abstract
A recent paper by Ahmed et al. (2025. “Parallels and Discrepancies between non-native Species Introductions and Human Migration.” Biological Reviews 100 (3): 1365–1395), published in Biological Reviews, suggests a comparative analysis of biological invasions (concerning interactions between different species) and human migration (concerning interactions among members of the same species) presenting prospective similarities between the two phenomena and proposing the existence of an “untapped potential in interdisciplinary research”. In this commentary, we assemble scholars from migration and biology domains to raise concerns on the conceptual inconsistencies present in said article and discuss implications for social sciences, migration, ethnic and racial studies. South et al. (2025. “Parallels between Biological Invasions and Human Migration Are Flawed and Undermine Both Disciplines. Response to Ahmed et al.” BioScience. Advance online publication), in turn, review the limitations from a biological science perspective. In this way, we seek to provide an interdisciplinary response and reach audiences across disciplines.

Keywords
Migration; race; culture; invasion science; biology; interdisciplinary

Notes
Additional authors: Rossana Bolpagni; Deidre Colon; Jean-Paul Demoule; Alison M Dunn; Sam Durrant; Thomas Faist; Claudia Finotelli; Glenda Garelli; Ben Gidley; Jerome M W Gippet; Sara Gonzalez; Simone Guareschi; Tina Heger; Sara Hill; Joshua Hobbs; George Holmes; Philp E Hulme; Hanna Jones; Marie-Andree Jacob; Dumisani Khosa; Majella Kilkey; Ayu Kusumastuti; Anne Lavanchy; Hannah Lewis; Rafael L Macedo; Rosa Mas Giralt; Camille L Musseau; Mona Makinejad; Esther Regina Neira Castro; Anna Probert; Jonathan David Roberts; Florian Ruland; Wolf-Christian Saul; Giuseppe Sciortino; Ross T Shakleton; Nando Sigona; Simona Sokolovska; James Souter; Li Sun; Zana Vathi; Ulrike Vieten; Giovanni Vimercati; Louise Waite; Pip Wilson; Florencia A Yannelli

Journal
Ethnic and Racial Studies: Volume 48, Issue 13

• Published Version