Local community involvement as a fast and effective way of monitoring invasive species in developing countries

Authors

  • Sadek Atoussi Laboratoire de recherché Biologie Eau et environnement “LBEE” Université 8 Mai 1945 Guelma, Algeria
  • Imane Razkallah Centre de recherche en environnement, Université Badji Mokhtar Annaba, Algeria. Laboratoire d’écologie des systèmes terrestres et aquatiques “ECOSTAQ” Université Badji Mokhtar Annaba, Algeria
  • Rabah Zebsa Laboratoire de recherché Biologie Eau et environnement “LBEE” Université 8 Mai 1945 Guelma, Algeria
  • Zinette Bensakhri Zinette Bensakhri Université Abdelhafid Boussouf, Mila
  • Mouslim Bara Laboratoire de recherché Biologie Eau et environnement “LBEE” Université 8 Mai 1945 Guelma, Algeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7716893

Keywords:

Citizen Science, Harlequin ladybird, invasion, Algeria

Abstract

The rapid spread of the non-native species Harmonia axyridis in Algeria has the potential to harm local biodiversity, create new challenges for natural resources management, and impact economies. Through an investigation on social media and a citizen science platform, three new occurrences of this species have been discovered in different parts of the country, with one location being over 400km away from the first record. This highlights the important role of citizen science in the detection and the spread monitoring of invasive species in developing countries where funding for research in this field is limited.

References

Biranvand, A., Nedvěd, O., Tomaszewska, W., Al Ansi, AN., Fekrat, L., Haghghadam, ZM., Haelewaters, D. (2019). The genus Harmonia (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) in the Middle East region. Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae, 59 (1), 163-170.

Brown, PM., Thomas, CE., Lombaert, E., Jeffries, DL., Estoup, A., Handley, LJL. (2011). The global spread of Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): distribution, dispersal and routes of invasion. BioControl, 56(4), 623-641.

Callaghan, CT., Ozeroff, I., Hitchcock, C., & Chandler, M. (2020). Capitalizing on opportunistic citizen science data to monitor urban biodiversity: A multi-taxa framework. Biological Conservation, 251, 108753.

Chandler, M., See, L., Copas, K., Bonde, AM., López, BC., Danielsen, F., Rosemartin, A. (2017). Contribution of citizen science towards international biodiversity monitoring. Biological Conservation, 213, 280-294.

Gardiner, MM., Allee, LL., Brown, PM., Losey, JE., Roy, HE., Smyth, RR. (2012). Lessons from lady beetles: accuracy of monitoring data from US and UK citizen‐science programs. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 10(9), 471-476.

Grez, AA., Zaviezo, T., Roy, HE., Brown, PM., Bizama, G. (2016). Rapid spread of Harmonia axyridis in Chile and its effects on local coccinellid biodiversity. Diversity and Distributions, 22(9), 982-994.

Hiller, T., & Haelewaters, D. (2019). A case of silent invasion: Citizen science confirms the presence of Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) in Central America. PloS one, 14(7), e0220082.

Lakhal, MA., Ghezali, D., Nedvěd, O., Doumandji, S. (2018). Checklist of ladybirds of Algeria with two new recorded species (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae). ZooKeys, (774), 41.

Loos, J., Horcea-Milcu, AI., Kirkland, P., Hartel, T., Osváth-Ferencz, M., Fischer, J. (2015). Challenges for biodiversity monitoring using citizen science in transitioning social–ecological systems. Journal for Nature conservation, 26, 45-48.

Nedvěd, O., & Háva, J. (2016). New record of the invasive lady beetle Harmonia axyridis in Afrotropical Region: Tanzania, Zanzibar. African Entomology 24: 247–249.

Pocock, M. J. O., Roy, H. E., August, T., Kuria, A., Barasa, F., Bett, J., Kissui, B. (2019). Developing the global potential of citizen science: Assessing opportunities that benefit people, society and the environment in East Africa. Journal of applied ecology, 56(2), 274-281.

Poutsma, J., Loomans, A. J. M., Aukema, B., Heijerman, T. (2008). Predicting the potential geographical distribution of the harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis, using the CLIMEX model. BioControl 53: 103–125.

Roy, H. E., Brown, P. M. J., Adriaens, T., Berkvens, N., Borges, I., Clusella-Trullas, S., Comont, R. F., De Clercq, P., Eschen, R., Estoup, A., Evans, E.W., Facon, B., Gardiner, M. M., Gil, A., Grez, A. A., Guillemaud, T., Haelewaters, D., Herz, A., Honek, A., Howe, A. G., Hui, C., Hutchison, W. D., Kenis, M., Koch, RL., Kulfan, J., Handley, L. L., Lombaert, E., Loomans, A., Losey, J., Lukashuk, A. O., Maes, D., Magro, A., Murray, K. M,, Martin, G. S., Martinkova, Z., Minnaar, I. A., Nedvěd, O., Orlova-Bienkowskaja, M. J., Osawa, N., Rabitsch, W., Ravn, H. P., Rondoni, G., Rorke, S. L., Ryndevich, S. K., Saethre, M. G., Sloggett, J. J., Soares, A. O., Stals, R., Tinsley, M. C., Vandereycken, A. (2016). The harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis: global perspectives on invasion history and ecology. Biological Invasions 18(4): 997–1044.

Roy, H. E., Brown, P., & Majerus, M. E. N. (2006). Harmonia axyridis: a successful biocontrol agent or an invasive threat? In: Eilenberg J, Hokkanen H (eds) An ecological and societal approach to biological control. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Netherlands

World bank (2005). Meeting the Challenge of Africa’s Development: A World Bank Group Action Plan. World Bank, New York. https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/publication/improving-the-quality-and-quantity-of-scientific-research-in-africa (Acceded 18/11/20).

Downloads

Published

2023-03-10

How to Cite

Atoussi, S., Razkallah, I., Zebsa, R., Bensakhri, Z., & Bara, M. (2023). Local community involvement as a fast and effective way of monitoring invasive species in developing countries . Journal of Wildlife and Biodiversity, 7(4), 11–16. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7716893