The 7^th ESENIAS Workshop with Scientific Conference ‘Networking and Regional Cooperation Towards Invasive Alien Species Prevention and Management in Europe’ was held on 28–30 March 2017, in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The conference was organised by the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBER-BAS), ESENIAS and the Danube Region Invasive Alien Species Network (DIAS). It was funded by the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area 2009-2014, Programme BG03 Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, ESENIAS-TOOLS Project, D-33-51/30.06.2015, and the Bulgarian Science Fund, Project DPMNF 01/8/ 21.03.2017.

The ESENIAS Conference provided a forum for presentation of multidisciplinary research activities on various topics related to invasive alien species, highlighting the importance of regional cooperation for finding solutions at national, regional and European scale. The following topics were covered:

1.    Invasive alien species traits and trends – invasive alien species introductions and spread, biological and ecological characteristics; characteristics of recipient environment; invasive alien species and climate change

2.    Vectors and pathways for invasive alien species introductions – trade, transport, horticulture, aquaculture, agriculture, forestry, hunting, etc.

3.    The Danube River as invasive alien species corridor – priority species for the Danube Region, impact on threatened species, specificity of biological invasions in Lower, Middle and Upper Danube River sections

4.    Invasive alien species impact – environmental impact, impact on ecosystem services, socioeconomic impact and impact on human health; pests and pathogens

5.   Invasive alien species prevention and management – early detection and rapid eradication, surveillance systems;risk assessment and horizon scanning; control measures; restoration of damaged ecosystems; education, citizen science, strategies, policy and legislation; IAS networks and information systems, databases, data planning and management.

The 7^th ESENIAS Workshop with Scientific Conference was attended by 150 participants – 70 from Bulgaria and 80 from other countries (Albania, Australia, Croatia, CzechRepublic, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Kosovo, Lithuania, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, and Ukraine). The Programme included 12 oral sessions and two poster sessions. Nine keynote presentations, 53 oral and 64 poster presentations were delivered. The results are summarised and published in 127 abstracts.

Programme of the 7^th ESENIAS Workshop with Scientific Conference >>>

List of Participants >>>

Book of Abstracts >>>

Picture Gallery >>>