Delivering Alien Invasive Species Inventories for Europe

Biological invasions by non-native or alien species are widely recognized as a significant component of human-caused global environmental change. This change often results in loss in economic value, biological diversity and function of invaded ecosystems. The spread of alien species also poses an increasing risk to human health and socio-economic values.

Europe will, through the DAISIE program, establish a programme with the primary goal of detection of alien species, quantifying the possible risk and warning managers before a respective alien species spreads beyond its point of initial introduction.

DAISIE will deliver a European one-stop-shop for information on biological invasions in Europe. It will bring together:

- The European Alien Species Expertise Registry : a directory of researchers and research.

- European Alien Species Database : including all known naturalized alien species in Europe.

- European Alien Species Information System : description of all naturalized alien species known to be invasive in Europe.

- Species Distribution Maps and Spatial Analysis : Distribution maps of all invasive alien species in Europe known or suspected of having environmental or economic impacts.

The general objectives of DAISIE are to:

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 in Europe.
4. To use distribution data and the experiences of the individual Member States as a framework for considering indicators for early warning.

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