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DELIVERING
ALIEN
I N VA S I V E
SPECIES
I NVENTORIES FOR
EUROPE
DAISIE will deliver an Alien Species Gateway to act as a
“one-stop-shop” for information on biological invasions in Europe.
Invasive Alien Species in Europe
Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis.
Photo: Mark Hulme/WWT
Biological invasions by non-native or “alien” species
are widely recognised as a significant component
of human-caused global environment change. Alien
species can act as vectors for new diseases, alter
ecosystem processes, change biodiversity, disrupt
the cultural landscape, reduce the value of land and
water for human activities and cause other socioeconomic consequences for humans. Alien species
encompass many diverse taxa that threaten a wide
range of European marine, brackish, freshwater and
terrestrial environments.
DAISIE will address the need for a regional network of
invasive alien species information. 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.
DAISIE Objectives
The general objectives of DAISIE are:
1. To create an inventory of invasive species that
threaten European terrestrial, freshwater 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,
Spanish slug, Arion vulgaris.
Photo: Inger Weidema
3. To assess and summarise the ecological, economic
and health impacts of the most widespread and / or
noxious invasive species in Europe,
4. To use distribution data and the experiences of
the individual Member States as a framework for
considering indicators for early warning.
These objectives will be 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 stakeholders.
The European Alien Species Database
An up-to-date inventory of all alien species known to
inhabit Europe is essential to build an early detection
and warning system for Europe’s environmental
managers. The development of a European Alien
Species Database will involve compiling and peerreviewing initial national lists of hundreds of species
of fungi, plants, invertebrates, fish, amphibians,
reptiles, birds and mammals.
Zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha
growing on a chain. Photo: Dan Minchin.
• provide a qualified reference system on invasive
alien species in Europe, available online for environmental managers, researchers, students and
all concerned,
• update the information on invasive alien species,
their biology, vectors of introduction, spread,
impacts on environment and economy,
• encourage the exchange of data among different
geographical regions and thereby to serve a node
in the Global Information System for Invasive
Species.
The nomadic jellyfish Rhopilema
nomadica. Photo: Mel Cooper
The Alien Species Expertise Registry
The European Alien Species Expertise Registry is
a fundamental step towards linking and mobilising
current expertise in biological invasions, to contribute
knowledge and data to meet European requirements
in dealing with invasive alien species. The European
Alien Species Expertise Registry may be used to:
• assemble and assess the current breadth and
scope of knowledge on alien species,
Blue swimming crab, Portunus
pelagicus. Photo: Bella Galil
• identify gaps in taxonomic expertise, limited regional
capacity and future research clusters,
• identify experts who can contribute to the different
areas of DAISIE e.g. species accounts, inventories,
analyses etc.
• facilitate clustering and information sharing among
different national programmes targeting the same
invasive alien species.
Grey squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis.
Photo: Sandro Bertolino
The European Alien Species Expertise Registry will
contain details for individual experts including: contact
information, thematic areas of expertise such as
taxonomy, population ecology, management, impact
assessment, as well as current and recent research
projects, publications and reports.
For more information and to register your expertise
in the Alien Species Expertise Registry visit
www.europe-aliens.org.
The Invasive Alien Species Accounts
Giant hogweed, Heracleum mantegazzianum. Photo: Petr Pyšek
The DAISIE Invasive Alien Species Accounts will provide information on invasive alien species to agencies,
resource managers, decision-makers, and interested
individuals. The Invasive Alien Species Accounts will
focus on invasive species that threaten the natural
environment and will cover all taxonomic groups.
Species information will include: biology, ecology,
distribution, management information, references,
contacts, links and images. The Invasive Alien Species
Accounts will be fully referenced, searchable via
keywords and include information on impacts.
The Invasive Alien Species Accounts will be used to:
• generate reliable species accounts for major pest
species in Europe,
• provide information upon which to base prevention
and control of invasive species,
• assess the ecological, economic and health
impacts of invasive alien species,
• raise awareness of biological invasions in Europe
and highlight gaps in knowledge.
Geranium bronze butterfly, Cacyreus
marshalli. Photo: Nick Greatorex-Davies
Distribution Maps and Spatial Analysis
A key requirement for the effective management of
invasive alien species is the ability to identify, map,
and monitor invasions. Presentation of data of invasive
alien species, known or suspected of having environmental or economic impacts in Europe, as GIS supported distribution maps and subsequent analysis of
the spatial data will be developed within DAISIE to:
• identify the scale and spatial pattern of invasive
alien species in Europe,
• understand the environmental, social, economic
and other factors involved in invasions,
• use distribution data as a framework for considering
indicators for early warning initiatives,
• disseminate information of invasion risk rapidly to
stakeholders, policy makers and the public.
DAISIE’s European Partnership
DAISE Project Coordinator: Philip Hulme
NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, United Kingdom.
Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic. Contact: Petr Pyšek
University of Bern, Switzerland. Contact: Wolfgang Nentwig
Umweltforschungscentrum Leipzig-Halle, Germany. Contact: Stefan Klotz
GoConsult, Germany. Contact: Stephan Gollasch
Marine Organisms Investigations, Ireland. Contact: Dan Minchin
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Sweden. Contact: Melanie Josefsson
Centre for Ecological Research & Forestry Applications, Spain. Contact: Montserrat Vilà
Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Science, Russia. Contact: Vadim Panov
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France. Contact: Alain Roques
National Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Greece. Contact: Margarita Arianoutsou
Cartography Centre of Fauna & Flora, Slovenia. Contact: Katja Poboljsaj
University of Ljubljana. Slovenia. Contact: Matej David
Coastal Research & Planning Institute, Klaipeda University, Lithuania Contact: Sergej Olenin
INFS, Italian Wildlife Institute, Italy. Contact: Piero Genovesi
Hebrew University Jerusalem, Israel. Contact: Salit Kark
National Institute of Oceanography, Israel. Contact: Bella Galil
Federal Environmental Agency, Austria. Contact: Franz Essl
www.europe-aliens.org
DAISIE is funded within the European Commission’s 6th Framework
Programme for Research, Technological Development, & Demonstration Activities,
Contract no. SSPI-CT-2003-511202.
Project lifetime: 2005–2008.
ISBN:91-620-8220-5