During the third GuardIAS-INVASIVESNET webinar, Dr. Lori Lawson Handley (UKCEH) from OneSTOP and Prof. Stelios Katsanevakis (University of the Aegean) from GuardIAS discussed the current work and future directions in preventing invasive alien species (IAS) from spreading, both in terrestrial and aquatic areas. 

IAS are one of the five main drivers of biodiversity loss. EU initiatives, including OneSTOP and GuardIAS, together with previous COST Actions, have been instrumental in developing continental-scale partnerships and providing tools and resources for IAS management. However, because IAS are inherently a global issue and increasing transport links between continents continue to facilitate their spread, effective biosecurity requires greater global collaboration to build truly integrated biosecurity systems. Progress is also constrained by the quality of available data. Although substantial advances have been made over the past decade in collecting and analysing IAS data, data remain patchy, inconsistent, and often geographically biased, with monitoring frequently conducted on an ad hoc basis rather than through standardised surveys, such as those used for monitoring of soil and water quality, for example. In addition, biosecurity efforts have often focused on responding to invasions after damage has occurred rather than preventing their establishment. By helping address these challenges, OneSTOP and GuardIAS aim to provide policymakers and managers with more reliable, timely data to support proactive biosecurity management.

Current work

First, to make sure IAS data reach managers and policymakers as quickly as possible, OneSTOP is working on automated workflows for the publication of data on GBIF. However, by automating the process, there is a risk that policymakers and managers will be overwhelmed by the large amounts of data and slow down the process even more. That’s why OneSTOP and GuardIAS are also developing an early alert system, based on the system built by a previous project called RIPARIAS in Belgium, that will inform policymakers when new IAS data from GBIF and GRIIS become available. In doing so, the priority can instead be placed on risk assessment, mapping, and management of IAS.

Future aims

Looking ahead, Lori was asked what success would look like if the conversation were revisited in ten years' time, and what would be needed to move from reactive invasion management to truly proactive biosecurity. She described success as the development of:

‘a combination of an integrated system for data submission and management, that feeds into an alert system and combines with a toolbox that managers can use to aid prioritisation.

Lori also emphasised that achieving proactive biosecurity will require not only integrated technological solutions but also sustained political will, investment in surveillance, and greater involvement from relevant stakeholders.

If you want to know more about global invasion science initiatives and their integration into research and policy, watch the webinar recording here.