As part of BiodivERsA’s strategy to integrate biodiversity research in Europe, 12 BiodivERsA members launched a joint call on “Invasive species and biological invasions” in November 2012.
This call addressed the following themes, across all ecosystems and organisms:
- Demonstrating and characterising the impacts of biological invaders
- Understanding mechanisms of biological invasions and levers for mitigating and/or reversing the impacts of biological invaders
- Evaluating the interactions between biological invasions and other global environmental changes
- Biological invasions and public perceptions
- Biological invasions and adaptation
Based on the ranking list established by an independent Scientific and Policy evaluation panel, BiodivERsA Call Steering Committee has shortlisted the top 9 research projects, for a total amount close to 8 Millions €. The final list of funded projects will be known upon national decisions by BiodivERsA partners, in October 2013 at the latest. The 9 shortlisted projects encompass a range of pressing scientific and societal issues :
DIARS – Detection of invasive plant species and assessment of their impact on ecosystem properties through remote sensing. Participating countries: BE (coordinator) FR, DE
EXOTIC – EXperimentally Orientated genomics to Tackle Insects adaptive Challenges during bio invasions: the ladybird Harmonia axyridis as a model species. Participating countries : FR (coordinator) BE, DE
FFII – Forecasting Future Invasions and their Impacts. Participating countries : SE (coordinator) FR, DE
GC-INVAMOFECT – Global change and invasive mosquitoes as infectious disease risks in Europe. Participating countries: FR (coordinator) AU, DE
INVAXEN – INVAsive biology of XENopus laevis in Europe: ecology, impact and predictive models. Participating countries : FR (coordinator) BE, DE, PT
PROBIS – Heterogeneity of patterns and processes along biological invasion successions. Participating countries : FR (coordinator) DE, SE, TK
RESIPATH – Responses of European Forests and Society to Invasive Pathogens. Participating countries : SE (coordinator) AU, BE, BG, DE, FR, NO, PT, SE, TK
SalmoInvade – Causes and consequences of invasions of aquatic ecosystems by nonnative salmonids. Participating countries : SE (coordinator) FR, DE, NO
WhoIsNext – Climate change and escaping ornamentals: Predicting the next generation of European plant invaders. Participating countries : DE (coordinator) AU, FR
