MSc Thesis Projects Opportunities

The project would explore how GBIF occurrence data can be used to estimate spatial expansion patterns over time, while addressing the challenge of lag between species introduction and detection. This is an issue for invasive species indicators and early warning systems. The student would develop methods to reconstruct spread dynamics for selected species and evaluate how detection lag and reporting effort influence indicator quality. It is well-suited for a student with spatial or data science interests, and is relevant to the GBF monitoring goals, as the rate of spread is a complementary indicator.

E-commerce has become a booming market for invasive plants sale and trade, as online platforms are increasingly more accessible and easier to navigate by sellers and buyers, while still lacking adequate supervision. To address this, artificial intelligence models, particularly deep learning techniques like computer vision algorithms, offer a promising avenue for automated content analysis and monitoring of online spaces dedicated to the trade of invasive alien species. This research aims to implement and fine-tune freely available artificial intelligence models (i.e., convolutional neural networks - CNNs) to understand the potential of these models to identify instances of invasive plants trade, considering as target species a representative set of invasive plants in Portugal. The methodological developments and outputs from this study will represent an advancement in the monitoring of online invasive alien species commerce, providing valuable tools and mechanisms to support the prevention/reduction of these species spread and propagation.

Fire is a major driver of vegetation change and can facilitate the establishment and spread of invasive woody species. Understanding how fire interacts with invasive alien species is essential for anticipating ecological change and improving management planning. This project will apply correlative modelling to assess how fire and land-use trajectories may influence the future distribution of an invasive alien plant – Acacia melanoxylon - in the Gerês–Xurés Biosphere Reserve. 

Occurrence records of the species will be compiled from open biodiversity databases (e.g., GBIF) to model its current distribution. Future fire and land-use scenarios will be generated with the REMAINS model and will be integrated with the species distribution model to assess potential changes in future distribution.

Policy and reporting frameworks at the European and global level are increasingly including indicators to track the status, pressures, and management responses related to biological invasions. However, the practical feasibility of implementing these indicators at the national scale remains unclear, particularly regarding data availability, institutional capacity, and interoperability across information systems. Portugal provides a relevant case study to explore these issues, as it has a well-defined legal framework for the management of biological invasions but continues to face difficulties meeting European-level reporting requirements. Understanding which indicators are realistically operationalizable – and where the main bottlenecks lie – is essential to support national reporting, support effective policy implementation, guide investment priorities, and inform the design of realistic monitoring schemes. 

The main goal of this MSc thesis is to evaluate the feasibility of policy-relevant biological invasion indicators for operationalization in Portugal, using a SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. A consolidated list of biological invasion indicators proposed in key policy frameworks has already been compiled and will serve as the starting point for this MSc thesis.

The work plan includes: Mapping the data requirements and institutional responsibilities associated with each indicator identified in policy frameworks; Assessing data availability, quality, temporal/spatial resolution, and accessibility for the Portuguese context; Analysing institutional capacity and governance arrangements relevant for indicator implementation (e.g., mandates, coordination, existing monitoring programmes); Conducting a SWOT analysis to identify key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for operationalizing each indicator (or groups of indicators) in Portugal. 

Biodiversity and conservation policies increasingly depend on indicators to monitor progress towards targets and inform decision-making, including for biological invasions management and protected area effectiveness. However, indicators developed at the international or national level are not always easy to implement locally, as data accessibility, institutional capacity, and management priorities can limit their application. The Regional Protected Landscape of Serra da Aboboreira, with protected status since 2023, offers a unique opportunity to test whether existing policy indicators are “fit for purpose” when applied to a practical case study. Although the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) is widely referenced, it has rarely been applied systematically to biodiversity policy indicators in a concrete territorial context. A SMART-based assessment can reveal which indicators are robust and operational, which require adaptation, and where new metrics may be necessary. 

The main goal of this MSc thesis is to apply a SMART assessment to existing policy indicators for biological invasions and protected areas, using the Aboboreira Protected Regional Landscape as a case study. A preliminary list of relevant indicators proposed in key policy frameworks has already been compiled and will serve as the starting point for this MSc thesis.

The work plan includes: Identifying and selecting a set of relevant policy indicators for biological invasions management and protected areas that apply to the Aboboreira context (using the compiled list and, if necessary, complementary sources); Translation of these indicators into concrete, locally relevant formulations, considering available data, management objectives, and spatial scales; Apply the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to assess each indicator in the Aboboreira context; Engage with the local stakeholder community (e.g., managers, NGOs, local authorities, landowners, other actors involved in the Living Lab) through interviews and/or questionnaires to gather perceptions on indicator clarity, usefulness, feasibility, and relevance.

Developed in alignment with the AlienSMART project. 

Questionnaires (and other methods from the social sciences) are being increasingly used in biology and ecology to better connect science and society within these fields. In Invasion Science, the use of these approaches is crucial to better understand public perception, stakeholder priorities, and decision-making preferences, which are essential aspects for effective policy and management. Despite the growing application of these approaches, there is limited synthesis of the types of data being collected, how this information contributes to management and policy, the added value it provides, and what gaps or limitations remain. A clearer understanding of these elements is essential to unlock the full potential of social science methods in supporting evidence-based and integrated approaches for Invasive Alien Species management. 

The main goal of this MSc thesis is to conduct a systematic review of literature that uses questionnaires to explore management- and policy-relevant questions in field of Invasion Science. Specifically, the literature review aims to answer the following questions: What type of social-ecological information is collected through questionnaires? Which relevant categories of data are still lacking? To what extent are policy and management dimensions addressed in these questionnaires and which facets remain underexplored? How has the use of questionnaire-based approaches shaped research agendas, management strategies or policymaking?

Developed under the EcoInvasionS project. Possibility of a short funded stay in Montpellier and participation in a scientific conference.