About DAISIE

About DAISIE

This website was developed as part of the Delivering Alien Invasive Species In Europe (DAISIE) project funded by the sixth framework programme of the European Commission (Contract Number: SSPI-CT-2003-511202). It provides a ‘one-stop-shop’ for information on biological invasions in Europe, delivered via an international team of leading experts in the field of biological invasions, latest technological developments in database design and display, and an extensive network of European collaborators and stakeholders.

The general objectives of DAISIE are:

1. To create an inventory of invasive species that threaten European terrestrial, fresh-water and marine environments
2. To structure the inventory to provide the basis for prevention and control of biological invasions through the understanding of the environmental, social, economic and other factors involved
3. To assess and summarise the ecological, economic and health risks and impacts of the most widespread and/or noxious invasive species
4. To use distribution data and the experiences of the individual Member States as a framework for considering indicators for early warning

DAISIE is a pivotal instrument in developing a Europe-wide strategy that encompasses both the geographical scale of the problem and unites the study of different taxa in marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments. With direct access to national knowledge bases throughout Europe, those addressing the invasive alien species challenge will easily obtain data on which species are invasive or potentially invasive in particular habitats, and use this information in their planning efforts. Data has been collated for vertebrates, invertebrates, marine and inland aquatic organisms as well as plants from up to 96 countries/regions (including islands) in the wider Europe. Over 248 datasets have been assembled and verified by experts, representing the largest database on invasive species in the world. Access to this resource is provided through three main search facilities:

• Search for information on one of the 11595 alien species occurring in Europe
• Search for one of the 2486 experts on biological invasions in Europe
• Search regions to explore the alien species threats across Europe, for 72 countries/regions (including islands) and 57 coastal and marine areas.

Reliable, detailed information on the most invasive alien species in Europe is an essential tool for preventing their spread and impact, and for applying effective and appropriate control strategies. Using DAISIE's major resource on the distribution of non-native species in Europe (~250 checklists), we have identified ‘100 of the worst’ invasive aliens in Europe, covering a broad spectrum of life forms and representing some of the worst species in terms of their impact on biodiversity, economy and health. Species accounts for these species provide information on their biology and ecology, habitat and distributions (including detailed maps), introduction pathways, invasion trends, impacts and management methods including ways of prevention.

Use the menu items on the left-hand side of this page to find out more about alien species and the DAISIE project. Other information may also be found at www.daisie.se

Invasive alien species in Europe

Contents

What is an alien species?

Invasive alien species impact biological diversity

Invasive alien species may have profound environmental consequences. These range from wholesale ecosystem changes e.g. colonisation of sand dunes by Acacia spp. and extinction of indigenous species e.g. threats to endemic coastal plants following expansion of Carpobrotus edulis, to more subtle ecological changes and increased biological homogeneity.

The introduction of an alien species to a new ecosystem may harm biological diversity by altering the structure and function of the ecosystem. The introduction of the freshwater mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) to lakes in Europe and North American has resulted in significant changes in the water quality of the lakes. The zebra mussel's successful competition with native clams has also lead to local extirpations of these native clams and has shifted primary production to benthic communities. The zebra mussel is a major macrofoulant of power-generating plants, and industrial and municipal water systems, which has generated enormous costs for society and businesses.

Alien species may also replace native species by competing for food and other resources or by predating on the native species. The North American Grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), introduced to Italy and the United Kingdom, is able to use resources in habitats that have been affected by human use much more effectively than the native Red squirrel. This competition has resulted in a catastrophic reduction in populations of the Red squirrel, that threaten the very existence of the species.

Hybridization between alien and native species may lead to the loss of local genetic adaptations of native species. Hybridisation has occurred between alien sika deer (Cervus nippon nippon) and native red deer (Cervus elaphus) as well as between native and alien oaks (Quercus spp.) and willowherbs (Epilobium spp.) Hybridisation may introduce maladaptive genes to wild populations or result in a vigorous and invasive hybrid.

The zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) has caused ecological and economic damage in watersheds in Europe and North American. Photo: Dan Minchin.	The grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is a major threat to the existence of the native Red squirrel in Italy and the United Kingdom. Photo: Sandro Bertolino.	Alien plants, like the Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) may grow in enormous numbers and form dense growths that exclude native plants and animals. Photo: Peter Pyšek.

Invasive alien species impact economy

Invasive alien species impact human health

Invasive alien species can also affect human health e.g. phytophotodermatitis through contact with Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) eruptive dermatitis following contact with Agave americana, poisoning of humans and livestock though consumption of toxic fruit e.g. Phytollaca americana, Solanum eleagnifolium or leptospirosis spread by the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus).

The Canada goose frequents parks and beaches in such large numbers, that its fecies can pollute water to such a degree that it may become a health hazard to swimmers and bathers. Photo: Stephen Gollasch

Preventing the environmental impacts of invasive alien species

Invasive alien species and climate change

Partners

The DAISIE project and this website have been developed by an international team of leading experts in the field of biological invasions. The team consists of the following 19 partners from 15 nations.

Contributors

The DAISIE project and this website have been made possible through a wide community of experts in biological invasions throughout Europe. We are indebted to the following list of contributors and collaborators, without whom this international initiative would not have been possible.

Publications based on DAISIE data.

Below is a list of the main publications based upon DAISIE data.

List of main publications

Other publications

Aquatics

Fungi

Invertebrates

Papers

Plants

Book chapters

Research papers

Vertebrates

Daisie acknowledged

DAISIE Methods

This website, the European Invasive Alien Species Gateway, links four individual data systems developed during the DAISIE project for public access over the internet. Click on the links below for more details on the approach taken and methods used to develop these systems:

• Expertise Registry
• Alien Species Database
• Invasive Alien Species Information System
• Distribution Maps

European Alien Species Expertise Registry

Current expertise in biological invasions is distributed across research organisations throughout Europe and is funded mainly by national programmes. The European Alien Species Expertise Registry represents a fundamental step towards linking these organisations in ways that provide added value at European level and provide the critical mass of expertise in invasive alien species research to meet European-scale requirements. The European Expertise Registry is accessible to all, over the internet by searching for experts. It can be used to:

• Assemble and assess the current breadth and scope of European knowledge on alien species
• Identify experts who can contribute to the different areas of DAISIE e.g. species accounts, inventories, analysis etc.
• Facilitate the clustering and information sharing among different national programmes targeting the same invasive alien species e.g. American mink in UK, Finland etc.
• Help establish teams of experts who can, once a new alien incursion has been reported, assess the situation and prepare an action plant for the invasive alien species at a particular site. Actions plans suggest responses that are likely to be quick, effective, and can be tracked to make sure that everything possible is done to slow or arrest the spread of a potentially invasive alien species in a state or the region.

The European Expertise Registry contains details for individual experts including: contact information, taxonomic expertise, knowledge of different ecosystems, thematic areas (population ecology, management, impact assessment, current and recent research projects, publications and reports etc.). By the end of 2009, the Registry contains 2486 experts from 96 countries for 3731 taxa. Experts within the database can be searched here. The DAISIE European Alien Species Expertise Registry is likely to be the world's largest collection of information on experts and expertise on alien invasive species.

European Alien Species Database

The lack of a pan-European inventory of alien species makes it difficult to answer relatively basic questions relating to the identification, status, and trends of alien species in Europe. The DAISIE European Alien Species Database provides an up-to-date inventory of alien species known to inhabit Europe, providing a key resource for building an early detection and warning system for the Europe?s environmental managers. The Alien Species Database has been built by compiling, extending and peer-reviewing several hundred national lists of species of fungi, plants, invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

The European Alien Species Database represents a major resource and contains information on 11595 species and 72 inland and 57 coastal and marine areas, and can be searched via species names and through the geographic regions of Europe. The database aims to:

• To collate European alien marine, freshwater and terrestrial species checklists,
• To analyse cultural, taxonomic & regional differences in alien species status designation,
• To establish standardised and objective criteria for the designation alien species status,
• To apply these criteria to species checklists to identify the principal invasive species in Europe,
• To provide comparative estimates of naturalisation rates as an indication of early warning.

Geographical scope of the European Alien Species Database
The main geographic area covered by the DAISIE European Alien Species Database is the continent of Europe. For terrestrial species this includes all countries (including islands) within the continent of Europe, as well as Greenland. For coastal aquatic groups, coastlines of all European countries are included, as well as countries on the Mediterranean Sea (e.g. countries of western Asia and north Africa).

Taxonomic scope of the European Alien Species Database
The European Alien Species Database includes all species that have been introduced as a result of human activities, either intentionally or unintentionally. The database covers both invasive alien species and non-invasive alien species (see definition of terms, below).

Definition of terms
There are several terms used to name species that are transported out of their native range through human intervention, including those species that become ecological or economic problems. The DAISIE European Alien Species Database follows definitions of alien species and invasive alien species (IAS) as adopted by the Convention of Parties (COP 6, decision VI/23) supplemented by some definitions from IUCN Guidelines and ICES code of practice.

Alien species (syn: non-native, non-indigenous, foreign, exotic, introduced) - a species, subspecies or lower taxon (such as a variety, race, provenance or stock), introduced outside its natural past or present distribution; includes any part, gametes, seeds, eggs, or propagules of such species that might survive and subsequently reproduce (COP 6, decision VI/23)

Invasive alien species (IAS) (or alien invasive species) - an alien species whose introduction and/or spread threaten biological diversity (COP 6, decision VI/23)

References
IUCN 2000 - Guidelines for the prevention of Biodiversity Loss Caused by Alien Invasive Species
IUCN 1999 - draft guidelines for the prevention of Biodiversity Loss Caused by Alien Invasive Species - not available on-line.
ICES 2003 - code of practice on the Introduction and transfer of Marine Organisms
COP 6, decision VI/23 - on alien species that threaten ecosystems, habitats or species.

A more extensive list of cross-taxon and biome definitions of alien status and related terms can be found here.

Database fields The vocabulary defining terms used in the DAISIE European Alien Species Database are given below.

Introduction

Vector

Pathway (used for aquatic species)

Population status

Abundance

European Invasive Alien Species Information System

The European Invasive Alien Species Information System focuses on 100 invasive species that threaten the natural environment of Europe. The list of species covers a range of taxonomic groups with 3 fungi, 18 terrestrial plants, 16 terrestrial invertebrates, 15 vertebrates, 16 inland water species and 32 coastal species giving a broad spectrum of life forms and functional types. These species represent some of the worst European invader species in terms of their impact on biodiversity, economy and heath, and illustrate a broad representation of impacts at different levels of ecological complexity: genetic, populations, ecosystem processes and services. A broad range of European invaded ecosystems is represented, with examples from natural and semi-natural habitats.

Species information has been authored and reviewed by DAISIE partners and/or by expert contributors from around Europe. The species accounts offer information on the biology and ecology of the species, habitat and distribution characteristics, introduction pathway, invasion trend, impacts and management methods including ways of prevention. Special emphasis was given to species impact and management. The agreed structure of the account is common, facilitating comparison among taxa. Each account for the ‘100 of the worst’ invasive species in Europe is available on this website and can be downloaded in a printable (.pdf) format. Accounts are ~650 words long and include a distribution map for Europe and photographs.

Distribution Mapping and Spatial Analysis

Biological invasions are large-scale phenomena of widespread importance and they represent one of the major threats to European biodiversity. They are characterised by remarkable spatio-temporal dynamics with many species having extended their distribution range from within a single region to much of Europe within the last century. The dramatic spread of non-native species has been facilitated by association with intercontinental commerce and travel (e.g., ballast, seed contaminants, horticultural trade), ability to disperse along regional transport networks (e.g., roadsides, canals, railways), and capacity for local colonisation and population increase. Non-native species have considerable potential to spread over large areas in a relatively short time; this places considerable urgency into integrating an understanding of spatio-temporal dynamics at the heart of invasive species management. However, up to now majority of information on the distribution of alien species in most taxonomic groups come from national mapping schemes, with no major effort to integrate at the spatial scale of the whole continent.

Distributions of the ‘100 of the worst’ invasive species have been mapped. The Common European Chronological Grid Reference System (CGRS) was used to produce distribution maps. The CGRS mapping grid is ca 50 x 50 km, depending on the latitudinal/longitudinal position, and was chosen because it employs reasonably detailed resolution for Europe and is commonly used for species mapping; this allowed the DAISIE team to collate majority of distribution data available in Europe. Data sources included national atlases, floras, faunas and databases as well as summary data available for the whole of Europe, e.g. Atlas Florae Europeae for some plant species; Mitchell-Jones et al. 1999 for mammals; updated, corrected and extended CIESM atlas for marine aliens.

The following criteria were used to map the distribution ranges of target species. For each grid, the following information was recorded: (a) known presence of the species; (b) known absence; (c) information on distribution not available. Where known, additional information on (d) species previously present but eradicated and (e) native distribution, was also considered. Where precise information on distribution was missing but the species was known to occur in a country/region/district, the distribution in these administrative units was recorded and mapped by using different colours. A different format was adopted for mapping invaders in aquatic habitats where linear distribution were represented.

Where mapping is on a regional level the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions has been used as a basis. As stated in this standard, "The use of any particular name to refer to a particular area in this geographical system is intended solely for the purpose of clarity of communication. It should not be taken to imply recognition of any government, any political persuasion, or any political boundary."

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