ECO-InvasionS is a collaborative project (in the context of the BIOPOLIS teaming project) between InvasionS group in CIBIO and researchers from the Centre for Environmental Economics of Montpellier (CEE-M). 

The main goals of ECO-InvasionS are:

• To organize training events on economics for BIOPOLIS research and students.

• To promote research collaborations and networks in the ecology/economy interface.

We are accepting students interested in developing a thesis in this thematic area.

Interested students should contact invasions@biopolis.pt. We offer dynamic working conditions and possibility of a work stay in Montpellier. 

Relevance to Group: Decision-making

InvasionS coordinator: Joana Vicente

Team Members: Eva Malta-Pinto

Funded by the "Education, Research & Outreach" joint call, an initiative supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme. Grant Agreement No. 857251

eLTER PLUS is an EU-funded project that supports long-term ecosystem research to better understand ecosystem structure, function, and responses to environmental, social, and economic drivers. It is built on three pillars: networking, joint research, and transnational, remote, and virtual access. The project addresses key challenges such as biodiversity loss, biogeochemical processes, the climate-water-food nexus, and socio-ecological systems, while expanding research capacity through transdisciplinary collaboration and community building. 

eLTER PLUS aims to:

• Improve understanding, management, and long-term security of ecosystem functions and services.

• Address fragmentation in ecosystem research by supporting integrated, transdisciplinary approaches.

• Expand the reach and impact of the emerging eLTER Research Infrastructure (RI).

• Engage new and existing users to strengthen collaboration across disciplines.

Relevance to Group: Biodiversity Crisis and Monitoring

InvasionS coordinator: Joana Vicente

Team Members: Rita Bastos

Funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, GA No 871126 (eLTER PPP) and GA No 871128 (eLTER PLUS), and the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under, GA No 101131751 (eLTER EnRich). 

The European Topic Centre on Biodiversity and Ecosystems (ETC BE) is a Consortium of 24 European organisations with expertise in the topic area of terrestrial, freshwater and marine biodiversity and ecosystems, working in partnership with the European Environment Agency under a framework partnership agreement for the period 2023-2026.

The project aims to:

• Support to the implementation of the range of EU directives, strategies and policies constituting the environmental acquis.

• Designing and providing support for monitoring requirements and approaches for tracking progress towards the implementation of the 8th EAP and European Green Deal, including EEA’s input to mid-term reviews of underlying policies, particularly the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, Farm to Fork Strategy, the Zero Pollution Action Plan, and the various sector policies.

• Contributing to integrated systemic assessments of terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems focusing on effects under climate change and to mitigate climate change, on cumulative drivers and pressures on these ecosystems, as well as socio-economic implications of solutions.

Relevance to Group: Biodiversity Crisis, Reporting, Decision-making

InvasionS coordinator: Joana Vicente

Specific Agreement No 3333/B2023/EEA.59337 implementing Framework Partnership Agreement Concerning the European Topic Centre on Biodiversity and Ecosystems (2023-2026).

The overarching objective of OneSTOP is to pioneer an innovative and integrated approach to biosecurity for terrestrial invasive alien species, strengthening the interconnections between animal, plant, human, and environmental health.

OneSTOP is built on four pillars: detection, prioritisation, dissemination, and socio-political action. 

OneSTOP project will develop an innovative and cohesive approach to biosecurity. By integrating cutting-edge detection methods and citizen science, OneSTOP seeks to enhance identification, early detection and surveillance of invasive species. The project prioritises stakeholder engagement and robust models to inform harmonised policies, fostering collaboration across local, national and regional scales. Ultimately, OneSTOP aims to deliver transformative results that minimise the introduction and spread of these harmful species, contributing to a more secure and resilient environment, aligned with recent recommendations for biological invasion governance.

Relevance to Group: Modelling, iEcology, iCulturomics, Digital Data, Decision-making, Societal participation, Citizen Science

InvasionS coordinator: Joana Vicente

Team Members: Cândida Vale, João Gonçalves Ana Sofia Cardoso and Eva Malta-Pinto

Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme. ID No 101180559

SELINA project will provide EU decision-makers from various business, policy and societal sectors with the necessary tools and information to help sustain, restore and enforce the climate-neutral use of European ecosystems and their services. To achieve this, with the help of ecosystem experts as well as the massive amounts of available ecosystem data, research and monitoring solutions, decision-makers will be provided with applicable tools, models and data for guiding their decisions towards sustainability.

The project aims to: 

• Identify biodiversity (BD), ecosystem condition (EC), and ecosystem services (ES) factors that can be successfully integrated into public and private sectors' decision-making processes. 

• Develop, test, and integrate new and existing knowledge, including methodological approaches to improve BD, EC, and ES information uptake by decision-makers.

• Demonstrate how enhanced collaboration between science, private, and public stakeholders facilitates BD, EC, and ES integration in evidence-based decision-making.  

Relevance to Group: Ecosystem Services

InvasionS coordinator: Joana Vicente

Team Members: Ana Sofia Vaz and Eva Malta-Pinto

Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. Grant agreement No 101060415 

This project supports the development of a local action plan for the control of invasive alien plant species and the conservation of amphibians and birds in the dune system of the Regional Protected Landscape of the Vila do Conde Coast and Mindelo Ornithological Reserve. The area includes diverse environmental and landscape contexts, making it a priority zone for ecological restoration. 

The plan focuses on three components:

• Invasive Plant Species Management

  1. Identify, map and prioritise invasive plant species using high-resolution imagery and field validation.

  2. Provide management recommendations and design control interventions, supported by training and communication strategies.

• Amphibian Conservation

  1. Survey amphibian species and map temporary dune ponds.

  2. Prioritise habitats and propose interventions to enhance resilience and conservation outcomes.

• Bird Monitoring and Habitat Assessment

  1. Inventory bird communities year-round, with focus on Kentish plover nesting.

  2. Support habitat planning with seasonal data and conservation priorities.

Relevance to Group: Biodiversity Crisis, Modelling, Remote Sensing, Reporting, Decision-making, Monitoring

InvasionS coordinator: Joana Vicente

Team Members: Eva Malta-Pinto, Nuno Mouta, Patrícia Correia-Pinto, Cândida Vale and João Gonçalves

Funded by the Municipality of Vila do Conde.

AlienSMART project aims to integrate cutting-edge approaches to enhance the detection and monitoring of invasive alien species, supported by a Web-GIS platform for data integration, reporting, and evidence-based management, developed in co-creation with the local community.

Relevance to Group: Modelling, Remote Sensing, Reporting, Decision-making, Societal Participation

InvasionS coordinator: Joana Vicente

Team Members: Ana Sofia Cardoso, Eva Malta-Pinto and Nuno Mouta

Funded by FCT, the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology.

ClimateMedia serves as a proof-of-concept determining the feasibility of a future development of a social observatory system of climate change phenomena and impacts using social media information created and shared by people. 

Given its exploratory nature, the ClimateMedia project aims to understand the extent to which climate change phenomena are reported by social media users and how those users perceive climatic impacts on several ecological and socioeconomic dimensions. It also seeks to understand how divergent/congruent such reports and perceptions from social media users are to the scientific evidence published on the theme. 

Relevance to Group: iEcology, Culturomics and Digital Data

InvasionS coordinator: Ana Sofia Vaz

Team Members: Ana Sofia Cardoso

Funded by FCT, the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology. Reference: 2022.06965.PTDC

Development of a prevention system based on remote sensing for early warning and rapid response to the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive alien plants.

Relevance to Group: Remote Sensing, Modelling and Monitoring

InvasionS coordinator: Joana Vicente

Team Members: Ana Sofia Vaz, Nuno Mouta and Eva Malta-Pinto

Funded by the Portuguese Environmental Fund "Fundo Ambiental". Reference number 9678/2021

Within the framework of the LIFE STOP CORTADERIA project (LIFE17 NAT/ES/000495), this project supports the mapping and analysis of Cortaderia selloana (pampas grass) distribution in Portugal as part of Action A.2 – Regional Cartography. 

The project aimed to:

• Produce detailed cartography of the current distribution of C. selloana using remote sensing tools, covering the coastal region between Lisbon and the northern border with Spain.

• Assess and model the potential current and future distribution of C. selloana across mainland Portugal, using ecological modelling techniques and relevant environmental data.

Relevance to Group: Remote Sensing, Modelling, Reporting, Decision-making and Monitoring

InvasionS coordinator: Joana Vicente

Team Members: João Gonçalves

Funded by the Municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia