Alien Invasive Species in Irish Waterbodies
This project is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for the Environment (STRIVE) Programme 2007-2013.
The project is being carried out by a consortium of Queens University Belfast, EnviroCentre, the Central Fisheries Board and the National Biodiversity Data Centre.
Irish freshwaters are being increasingly impacted by invasive species with negative impacts on native biodiversity. This project will address the knowledge gap identified under the Water Framework Directive for alien invasive species in Ireland’s River Basin Districts.
The overall objectives of the project are to improve our knowledge of the nature and extent of alien invasive species in Ireland and their impact on natural ecosystems and to develop and trial control measures for selected species. The project consists of three complementary work packages, each with its own specific and measurable objectives and targets.
Work Package 1. Policy Development
Work Package 2. Aquatic Invasive Species Impacts and Control
Work Package 3. Mapping and Recording
The major expected results of this project are a better understanding of the impact of invasive species on aquatic ecosystems in Ireland, achieved by complementary literature reviews, policy appraisal, experimental approaches, and interaction with the public via website databases. The development of a national GIS database of invasive species in the aquatic environment will bring a number of clear benefits. Better public awareness of aquatic aliens, and research being carried out on these species, will be an important output of the project.
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