Invasive species studies

Invasive species studies cover a range of topics:

• Assessing individual and cumulative impacts on the biotic and abiotic environment and ecosystem services.
• Modelling of the distribution potential of alien species (through niche models) and assessment of spatial impacts in the context of current environmental conditions, future climate scenarios and other key pressures. 
• Contribute to the Estonian Marine Strategy Action by developing an eDNA method for biological monitoring in ports.
• Developing frameworks for the assessment of impacts of invasive species and risk assessment in the light of the needs arising from the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Ballast Water Convention.

New information collected during the project (including invasion pathways of alien marine species, risk areas, distribution maps, impact algorithms, assessment methodologies) will be integrated into the PlanWise4Blue cumulative impact assessment web tool, allowing stakeholders to analyse the impacts of alien species under different scenarios and to contribute effectively to the dissemination of project results.

The project addresses the following invasive alien species: Mya arenaria, Rangia cuneata, Marenzelleria spp., Cercopagis pengoi, Amphibalanus improvisus, Gammarus tigrinus, Pontogammarus robustoides, Chelicorophium curvispinum, Dreissena polymorpha, Palaemon elegans, Eriocheir sinensis, Neogobius melanostomus, Rhithropanopeus harrisii and Carassius gibelio, and selected other invasive alien species (occurring in more than 50% of the Baltic Sea countries, AquaNIS).