Project deploys cutting-edge tools such as eDNA and AI to lead the fight against invasive alien species in Europe

An innovative multi-stakeholder project, GuardIAS, is rolling out next-generation solutions to detect and manage aquatic invasive alien species across Europe.

By combining environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring, artificial intelligence, robotics, and citizen science, GuardIAS is bridging the gap between detection and rapid response on invasive alien species that pose serious risks to Europe’s native biodiversity.

At the heart of the project are 11 Case Studies, invasive alien species selected for their high ecological, social and economic impacts. These Case Studies are being used to test innovative early-warning and eradication actions. The results from these pilot studies will be used to create blueprints for tackling invasive species across Europe.

Invasive alien species — animals and plants that are introduced accidentally or deliberately into a natural environment where they are not normally found — are major threats worldwide, contributing to 60% of plant and animal extinctions and costing over $400 billion annually to global economies. The challenges associated with invasive alien species are likely to intensify with climate change and ongoing globalisation.

One of the flagship Case Studies for GuardIAS is the marbled crayfish, one of Europe’s most concerning freshwater invaders.

Uniquely capable of reproducing through parthenogenesis, a single female can establish a whole population by simply cloning herself – no males of the species have ever been found. The species spreads fast and is found in high densities in ponds, posing serious risks to native biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems.

GuardIAS is applying eDNA monitoring to marbled crayfish outbreak sites in Belgium and the Netherlands to map distribution with unprecedented accuracy.

“Environmental DNA is revolutionising the way we detect and track invasive species,” said Dr Rein Brys, Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Belgium. “eDNA is DNA captured from an environmental sample, such as water or soil. These traces of DNA can come from anything to do with the species – for example, faeces, mucus, skin cells and scales.”

“With eDNA, we can find traces of an organism in a river, lake or coastal habitat before populations become established. This gives managers a crucial time advantage and enables them to implement measures against the invasive alien species before invasions become unmanageable – a cost-effective detection method and solution.” Rein finished.

For the marbled crayfish, initial studies have enabled not only the detection of the crayfish in ponds, but also gave indications of the population size of the infestation, further aiding management and intervention measures.

The project plans to develop this further, integrating eDNA sampling with AI-based data workflows and early-warning platforms linked to European invasive alien species databases to plot infestation spread and identify ‘hot spots’ for impactful intervention.

As well as the marbled crayfish, GuardIAS is piloting solutions on ten other invasive species that threaten Europe’s rivers, lakes, and seas. These include freshwater species such as the red swamp crayfish, African clawed frog, and American bullfrog, and the parrot’s feather plant. In northern waters, the humpback salmon and red king crab are on the rise, while the Mediterranean sea faces pressure from predators like the lionfish and striped eel catfish. Two invasive seaweeds, wakame and Rugulopteryx okamurae, are also spreading along coasts and offshore structures in European waters.

“GuardIAS is combining a powerful suite of detection tools to spot these invasive species early and accurately. Alongside the cutting-edge environmental DNA (eDNA) testing, we are deploying AI-driven data analysis, acoustic monitoring, underwater imaging, robotics, and satellite imagery to detect different species across freshwater and marine environments,” said GuardIAS Project Coordinator Professor Stelios Katsanevakis, University of the Aegean, Greece.

He continued, “The project also draws on citizen science initiatives, and other established frameworks, conducts pan-European assessments of pathways of introduction and impacts on biodiversity and socio-economy, and integrates all findings into Open-Access databases and Information Systems. It is very much a multidisciplinary approach, which I am very excited about.”

By working on such a diverse mix of species, GuardIAS can test and showcase new detection methods in a variety of ecosystems, and use these methods to create a fast, multi-layered defence system that can identify threats before they take hold and guide rapid response actions.

Funded by Horizon Europe, the project has been hailed as not just a response to current environmental challenges, but also a proactive step towards sustainable management and conservation of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in Europe, strengthening Europe’s ability to protect its waters and aligns with the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.