The GuardIAS project - Guarding European Waters from
Invasive Alien Species
Coordinated by the University of the Aegean (Stelios Katsanevakis), GuardIAS brings together a consortium with diverse and complementary expertise in aquatic invasive alien species (IAS) management, including four public Research Institutes, seven Universities, two non-profit Associations, six SMEs, and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre. GuardIAS is a multidisciplinary initiative, comprising seven interconnected Work Packages (WP). It targets all steps of the multi-stage invasion process (pre-border, border, and post-border), aiming to develop novel tools for appropriate interventions contributing to the disruption of the invasion process.
GuardIAS will apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) and new data workflows to systematically query multiple biodiversity databases for species distribution, environmental tolerances, biological traits, and genetic information, enhancing the European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN) and harmonizing key datasets. This will improve IAS impact profiling and effective invasion prevention and management. The citizen science platform iNaturalist will be enhanced with expert-verified images of aquatic IAS to aid early detection at borders and track the geographic spread of IAS. Furthermore, GuardIAS will develop an Early Warning System, building on existing data systems and AI tools, focused on IAS of EU concern, which will be integrated into EASIN.
Biofouling remains a primary global pathway for IAS introductions, since it is regulated only by voluntary IMO guidelines. For this reason, GuardIAS focuses on innovative prevention of new introductions through
biofouling by exploring emerging nanotechnology-based
antifouling coatings. GuardIAS
will also investigate the
movement patterns of
recreational boats along European
coastlines, a significant but
understudied factor in IAS
secondary dispersal.
An eDNA reference library and
assay panel will be developed to
aid effective IAS detection.
Macroecological and
biogeographic trait analysis and
cutting-edge models (e.g. the
Nobel-Prize-winning MRIO - Multi-Region Input-Output analysis) will assess the risks of IAS introduction and spread, including risks to threatened species, critical habitats, and areas of conservation importance at present and under future invasion scenarios. For the first time, systematic conservation planning tools will be employed to prioritize IAS monitoring and management actions, particularly focusing on impacts on Red List species.
GuardIAS will boost data collection, monitoring, early detection, and IAS literacy through innovative approaches, such as robotics and remote sensing, and Citizen Science initiatives, including BioArtBlitz events (a novel type of event where figurative and performative arts will be used as a vehicle for communication and engagement), eDNA sampling, sound analysis in a Zooniverse project, and marina events tailored for boaters. Engagement with stakeholders will be further enhanced through innovative tools such as applied games.
In collaboration with environmental authorities, industry, and aquatic managers, GuardIAS will co-design and implement several eradication and control efforts in both the marine and freshwater environments. By integrating Social Sciences and Humanities, GuardIAS will advance collaborative knowledge creation, facilitate comprehension of public perceptions on the significance of managing IAS, and facilitate exploitation of the project’s outcomes. Particularly in marine settings, the project aims to challenge the prevailing notion that post-establishment IAS management is futile, demonstrating tangible solutions for the implementation of Articles 17 and 19 of the EU IAS Regulation.
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