The #GuardIAS project supported this new global synthesis on the ecological, economic and socio-cultural impacts of #BiologicalInvasions — advancing science, management and policy in the Anthropocene. doi.org/10.1002/brv.... #bioinvasions #InvasiveSpecies

Just published: a cross-system review examining how invasive species spread and why this process is central to effective management and policy, with participation from the GuardIAS project.

Season's Greetings from GuardIAS!

Special Session at #ECSA61 📣 Guarding #marine & #estuarine waters from biological invasions We invite talks on #prevention, #monitoring ( #eDNA, #AI, #RemoteSensing), #management, #climate – #IAS links & policy solutions. Abstract submission opens in January #InvasiveSpecies #bioinvasions

Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) is on the IUCN's list of the 100 "world's worst" invasive species! It's a major threat, known for displacing native seaweeds & clogging coastal infrastructure. The #GuardIAS project is modelling its spread via offshore wind farms. #InvasiveSpecies #BioInvasions #IAS

The red king crab can have a leg span of nearly 2 meters! It's a major threat, known for devastating seafloor ecosystems & spreading disease to native fish. #GuardIAS is working with groups in Norway to create a management plan. #InvasiveSpecies #BioInvasions #IAS Image: NOAA Fisheries

Our free MOOC on Invasive Alien Species Prevention is live! What you'll learn: ✅ Bioinvasion impacts ✅ Introduction pathways ✅ Management strategies Catch up before Course 2 drops in early 2026. 🔗 Start here: www.ecmunipv.it/login/index.... #InvasiveSpecies #BioInvasions #IAS

The striped eel catfish (Plotosus lineatus) was the first marine species regulated by the EU for being invasive! It's known for being venomous & outcompeting native fish. The #GuardIAS project is setting up an early warning system to stop its spread. #InvasiveSpecies #BioInvasions #IAS

At a recent workshop in Monaco, Maria Zotou shared how the #GuardIAS project is tackling the lionfish invasion in Crete & Santorini through population control & commercial fishing. Read more about the event here: guardias.eu/lionfish-in-... #InvasiveSpecies #BioInvasions #IAS

The Lionfish (Pterois miles) 🐠 Its stomach expands up to 30x when feeding! It’s a major threat, known for devastating native fish & wrecking marine ecosystems. The #GuardIAS project is running control programs in the Aegean Sea. Read more: guardias.eu #InvasiveSpecies #BioInvasions #IAS

Brown Algae (Rugulopteryx okamurae) 🌿 A single plant can make 600 copies! It’s a major threat, known for suffocating native species & damaging coastal tourism/fishing. The #GuardIAS project is creating an early warning system in Greece. See more: guardias.eu #InvasiveSpecies #BioInvasions #IAS

📣 Be part of the consultation on an IUCN strategy for invasive alien species 📣 The IUCN is developing a dedicated strategy to guide collective action, but they need your input first 👇 🔗 forms.office.com/Pages/Respon... 🗓️ Deadline: 19 Dec 2025 #InvasiveSpecies #BioInvasions #IAS

Meet #GuardIAS WP6 Leaders, Dr Maria Sini & Dr Nóirín Burke! 📣 Their team helps tell the story of the entire project. They collaborate with all partners to share GuardIAS's innovations and successes with the world. Read more: guardias.eu/work-package... #InvasiveSpecies #BioInvasions #IAS

Lien Reyserhove (@inbo.be & @onestop-project.eu) and Damiano Oldoni (#GuardIAS) recently spent 2 days at the European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN) facility at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Italy. Read more here: guardias.eu/guardias-one... #InvasiveSpecies #BioInvasions #IAS

Spotlight: The Humpback (Pink) Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) 🐟 It’s a major threat, outcompeting native salmon & polluting rivers after mass spawning events. The #GuardIAS project is assessing its impact across Europe. Read more at guardias.eu #InvasiveSpecies #BioInvasions #IAS

Best of luck to Samuel Vander Velpen (vicuniwgtn.bsky.social, Nelson AI), who is representing the #GuardIAS project at the fourth annual Artificial Intelligence Researchers Association conference this week. Read the abstract: lnkd.in/eX9Kx-5f #InvasiveSpecies #BioInvasions #IAS

Spotlight: Parrot's Feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum) 🌿 This plant is a major aquatic threat, forming dense mats that choke native life, deplete oxygen, and block waterways. #GuardIAS is managing its spread in Italy. See our work: guardias.eu #InvasiveSpecies #BioInvasions #IAS

Meet #GuardIAS WP5 Leader, Dr Jonathan Jeschke. His team is pioneering a STEAM approach, using applied games and "BioArtBlitz" events to bring together scientists, artists, and the public to fight invasive species. Read our full Q&A: guardias.eu/work-package... #InvasiveSpecies #BioInvasions #IAS

The first #GuardIAS Conference has just wrapped up—two days of sharp science, great discussions, and real progress on invasive species prevention and biosecurity. Huge thanks to @invasivesnet.bsky.social for outstanding organization and bringing this community together. Momentum is strong—onward!

Laura Verbrugge at the #GuardIAS Conference highlighted a key truth: awareness isn’t enough. Her social-science–based framework shows how to measure what people know, feel, and do—giving biosecurity campaigns the tools to track real behavior change, not just information spread.

@damianooldoni.bsky.social at #GuardIAS Conference: the #GBIF Alert tool is evolving into a Europe-wide early warning system for #InvasiveSpecies. With open data, eDNA inputs, and alignment with #EASIN /NOTSYS, faster and smarter alerts are on the horizon.

A strong message at #GuardIAS Conference by #IUCN: the new European IAS Rapid-Response Fund is gearing up to hit early invasions fast. With flexible grants, expert networks, and peer learning, it empowers teams across Europe to act before #IAS take hold.

@zoopel.bsky.social just presented our MODAS concept at the #GuardIAS Conference: a database flag for alien species detected solely through molecular tools. By integrating these “invisible invaders” into IAS systems, we can prioritise validation, boost early warning, and modernise biosecurity. #eDNA

Fresh insights at #GuardIAS Conference from @teuneverts.bsky.social : pooled #eDNA sampling is proving a smart, cost-efficient way to track the northernmost Xenopus laevis invasion. With 100+ km² already occupied, this approach delivers fast, actionable intelligence for cross-border management.

Anastasija Zaiko opened the #GuardIAS conference today: new high-speed, scalable eDNA samplers—surface to deep water, shore to AUV—are making biodiversity detection smarter, faster, and far more reliable. Big step forward for early-warning and #biosecurity surveillance.

A lively #GuardIAS talk from Mar Santos-Simón: marina-based citizen science is turning boaters into frontline biofouling sentinels. With hands-on sampling, rapid alien-species checks, and “adopt-a-collector” monitoring, these events are boosting awareness and expanding surveillance capacity in Italy

A warning at #GuardIAS Conference from @bgallardo.bsky.social : drought “solutions” like reservoirs and inter-basin transfers can become #invasion highways. With quagga mussels primed to expand under #ClimateChange, integrating #biosecurity into water-infrastructure planning is no longer optional.

#GuardIAS Virtual conference - project partner Amalia Mailli from #NORD talking on how to apply eDNA methodolgy for detecting IAS

Two presentations from Saudi Arabia in the #GuardIAS Conference: baseline mapping across Red Sea and Arabian Gulf has uncovered 200+ potential NIS - a new national roadmap is turning these data into concrete #biosecurity action. Saudi Arabia is emerging as a regional leader in marine biosecurity.

A standout #GuardIAS talk from Rein Brys: ddPCR-based #eDNA not only detects #invasive Marbled crayfish in the Hatertse Vennen but also estimates their abundance—revealing a far larger metapopulation and clear impacts on native amphibians. Powerful tools now steering targeted management. @inbo.be

A great talk at #GuardIAS Conference today: Amalia Mailli presented a new open, modular #eDNA reference database for Europe’s aquatic IAS. Bringing assays, primers & barcode gaps together in one place—this will boost detection, monitoring and future research across freshwater and marine systems.

Theofanis Karayannis just delivered a sharp keynote at #GuardIAS Conference: "Current regulatory developments at IMO on ballast water and biofouling". From the BWM Convention review to a binding biofouling framework, global rules on #IAS pathways are about to get tougher. #InvasiveSpecies

Curious about Early Alert tools, and how GBIF Alert in particular can play a role at European level? My slides are out: bit.ly/20251114-early-alert. Join the first virtual conference on #InvasiveSpecies and #Biosecurity organised by @guardias.bsky.social & @invasivesnet.bsky.social: bit.ly/4i71BAL

Attending the first @guardias.bsky.social & @invasivesnet.bsky.social virtual conference. Focused on the ‘Prevention of #InvasiveAlienSpecies Introductions and Biosecurity Risk Assessment’ Interesting talks to improve our ability to prevent and manage #BiologicalInvasions guardias.eu/welcome-to-t...

🌱 On 21 October, OneSTOP’s Belgian #LivingLab had its second meeting! 👉The meeting focused on using CamAlien for monitoring and detection of invasive alien species. 📺 It was featured on numerous Belgian media channels 👀 Read more: onestop-project.eu/news/testing...

🌱 Here is Reynoutria sachalinensis, the Giant Knotweed. Very similar to the last #InvasiveAlienSpecies, the R. japonica. 🍃 R. sachalinensis's leaves are larger, and it also spreads via rhizomes. 👉 It outcompetes and overshadows other species, and can cause damage to infrastructure. #IASinEurope

Fully agree! In @guardias.bsky.social project we promote data sharing and open data principles through various approaches: 👇(1/n)

🔎 The big picture of OneSTOP comes alive in a newly released project video! 🎞️ The video offers a short overview of OneSTOP’s objectives and methodology, as well as the project’s planned results and activities. 👉 Watch it now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl6E... #IAS #BioInvasions

👉 Meet a new #InvasiveAlienSpecies, Reynoutria japonica, the Japanese Knotweed! 🟩 It is a rapid clonal spreader, growing vigorously and outcompeting and overshadowing other vegetation 🌱Its clonal expansion via roots (rhizomes) makes it difficult to eradicate and can even damage infrastructure

🦅 Meet Pycnonotus jocosus, the Red-whiskered Bulbul! 🔵 This #InvasiveAlienSpecies may hybridise with native species, cause crop damage, and directly compete with native birds for resources 🍃 There are also concerns that it may facilitate the spread of invasive plants #UnionConcernSpecies #IAS

Fighting invasive species is a race against time. 🌊 But critical data is often scattered across countless reports and databases. At the NZ Marine Sciences Conf, Samuel Vander Velpen showed off a new AI tool from the EU #GuardIAS project designed to fix this exact problem. (1/3)

Damiano Oldoni (@inbo.be) presented on scaling an early alert web app for invasive species management in Belgium to cover Europe at the recent Living Data 2025 in Bogotá. Explore the talk in more detail 👇 Abstract: lnkd.in/eZvUqQKc Slides: lnkd.in/e6veyXvK #InvasiveAlienSpecies #IAS #BioInvasions

The programme for the first GuardIAS & @invasivesnet.bsky.social virtual conference is live! Check out the lineup of presentations, posters & workshops on biosecurity and invasive species prevention. 🗓️ Nov 13-14 📚Full programme: guardias.eu/guardias-con... #GuardIASConference

Attack of the Clones? 👽 That's the marbled crayfish 🦞, just one of 11 invasive species the #GUARDIAS project is tackling! The team is using high-tech tools like eDNA & AI to build an early-warning system and protect Europe's waters. Read the full story: guardias.eu/cutting-edge...

1/🧵 Over the past decade, misinformation in the popular media & the opinion pages of some journals has promoted the claim that concern over species invasions is overblown, because "most invasions do not cause extinctions". Here is a brief reminder of what scientific evidence shows... #bioinvasions

A recently published paper by @teuneverts.bsky.social, @adriaenstim.bsky.social, and the team @inbo.be explores the use of Early-detection-rapid response and environmental DNA (eDNA)in dealing with the African clawed frog invasion. Read more here: neobiota.pensoft.net/article/1503...

🔎 Today we are focusing on Mulinia lateralis, the Dwarf Surfclam. 🐚 This #InvasiveAlienSpecies, with high fecundity, has the potential to alter benthic communities and influence the food web. #IASinEurope #BioInvasions #UnionConcernSpecies

ICMB XIII goes to Cape Town, South Africa! The next International Conference on Marine Bioinvasions is now confirmed for 2027! Follow for more updates. Hope to see you there! @marinebioinvasions.bsky.social #bioinvasions #NIS #marinebioinvasions #ICMB2027 #capetown #southafrica

#GuardIAS had a strong presence at #ICMB2025! 🌊 Showcasing how #AI, #robotics, #eDNA, #modelling & #CitizenScience unite to fight aquatic #InvasiveSpecies across Europe — from marina events to vessel network modelling. #bioinvasions #InvasiveSpecies #MarineEcology 🔗https://guardias.eu/

The #Guardias Project was represented at the #Lionfish in the #Mediterranean III workshop by Mary Zotou, who presented our ongoing research on lionfish removal efforts in Crete and Santorini.