Testing emerging tools for the early detection of invasive alien species

Full title: "Testing emerging tools for the early detection of invasive alien species: the CamAlien and a cross-realm European alert system"
Slides for the presentation held at Neobiota 2026 - LIFE RIPARIAS final event.
Abstract DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/aca.9.e203289

Transcript

1. Testing emerging tools for the early detection of invasive alien species: the CamAlien and a cross-realm European alert system LIFE RIPARIAS final conference 08 September 2026 Soria Delva Damiano Oldoni Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO)
6. Now imagine having to do this along hundreds of kilometres of roads and waterways…
7. For that, we need more eyes?
8. For that, we need more eyes? better tools
9. For that, we need more eyes? better tools CamAlien
10. The CamAlien • • • • Camera mounted on moving vehicles Detects invasive plants Along linear infrastructure ◦ Roads ◦ Waterways Automated identification based on the the Pl@ntNet API
11. The CamAlien
12. The CamAlien
13. Example of species of interest Ailanthus altissima (EN: Tree of heaven) Baccharis halimifolia (EN: Groundsel tree) Elaeagnus angustifolia (EN: Russian olive) Buddleja davidii (EN: Butterfly bush) Heracleum mantegazzianum (EN: Giant hogweed) Impatiens glandulifera (EN: Himalayan balsam) Koenigia polystachya (EN: Himalayan knotweed) Reynoutria spp. (EN: ~Asian knotweeds) Rhododendron ponticum (EN: Pontic rhododendron) Robinia pseudoacacia (EN: Black locust) Rosa rugosa (EN: Japanese rose) Zizania latifolia (EN: Manchurian wild rice)
14. Results Ailanthus altissima (EN: Tree of heaven) Robinia pseudoacacia (EN: Black locust) TP Thr.: 0.343 TP: 85.38% TN: 98.14% TN Thr.: 0.228 TP: 89.58% TN: 98.85%
15. Results Heracleum mantegazzianum (EN: Giant hogweed) Thr. : 0.932 TP: 40.22% TN: 98.01% Baccharis halimifolia (EN: Groundsel tree) Thr.: 0.482 TP: 60% TN: 99.29%
16. The first published CamAlien dataset for Belgium Ailanthus altissima (EN: Tree of heaven) Impatiens glandulifera (EN: Himalayan balsam) Reynoutria spp. (EN: ~Asian knotweeds) Robinia pseudoacacia (EN: Black locust) Rosa rugosa (EN: Japanese rose)
17. But it does not stop here! From detection… …to alert
18. Early Alert system 🚨 What - Software (web, app, …) Based on data Detect new occurrences Trigger alerts (email, …) Users: field management organisations, scientists, policymakers
19. LIFE RIPARIAS Early Alert tool🚨 What - Web application Based on GBIF occurrences Open software First version presented at TDWG2022 (abstract, slides)
20. LIFE RIPARIAS Early Alert tool🚨 #FreeData! - We needed to open the data Data standardisation (Darwin Core) Data mobilisation to GBIF 12 datasets 4 new GBIF data publishers Automatic pipelines Source: laprimerapiedra
21. LIFE RIPARIAS Early Alert tool🚨 All data - We benefit of all dataset published on GBIF IAS obs - waarnemingen.be (Flanders, BXL) IAS obs - Observations.be (Wallonia) … IAS pilot - camAlien
22. LIFE RIPARIAS Early Alert tool🚨 alert.riparias.be - 143 species 209 registered users 150 alerts 1100 areas (shared, users defined) 1500+ GBIF data imports (daily)
23. GBIF Alert Replicability - Split the software engine from the configuration variables Software engine: alert logic, data visualisation, data import Configuration vars: area of interest, species list Software core: GBIF Alert Early alert tool = GBIF Alert + configurations Winner of the Ebbe Nielsen Challenge 2023 gbif-alert.org/ Come to the Q. Grooms flash talk on Fri, 11 Sept
24. LIFE RIPARIAS Early Alert tool🚨 alert.riparias.be - Better, modern user interface: filters panel on left, observations panel on the right
25. LIFE RIPARIAS Early Alert tool🚨 alert.riparias.be - Better, modern user interface Filter/alert by verification status
26. LIFE RIPARIAS Early Alert tool🚨 alert.riparias.be - - new, modern user interface Filter/alert by verification status Filter/alert by basis of record: material sample (eDNA), human obs, machine obs, living specimen
27. LIFE RIPARIAS Early Alert tool🚨 alert.riparias.be - - new, modern user interface Filter/alert by verification status Filter/alert by basis of record Alert by spatial proximity: inside, close or both: useful for horizon scanning
28. LIFE RIPARIAS Early Alert tool🚨 alert.riparias.be - new, modern user interface Filters by verification status Filter by basis of record Alert by spatial proximity - API: programmatic access to the data. Check API docs page
29. Take home message Better detections Fast open data workflows Everything starts from detecting: no observations, no alerts Observations must be available as soon as possible Efficient alert system Detection is only useful if the information reaches someone who can act Standardize Use as much tools as possible Use open software Publish Human eyes are not enough Makes flexible software engine
30. LIFE RIPARIAS final conference Testing emerging tools for the early detection of invasive alien species: the CamAlien and a cross-realm European alert system Soria Delva Axel Neukermans Damiano Oldoni Helen Bayliss Laura Abraham Quentin Groom Louise Hendrickx Helen Roy Frédérique Steen Nico Noé Mark Gillespie Lars Dalby Toke Thomas Høye Kavi Mellerup Katharina Dehnen-Schmutz Tim Adriaens Bieke Maex Bram D'hondt Abstract Slides