The AliensWatch is a multidisciplinary working group focused on biological invasions. The main goal of this working group is to discuss the diversity of themes associated to the research on biological invasions in Portugal, by defining and proposing several strategies which promote the collaboration and sharing of information between group members, stakeholders, managers, students, general public and other interested parties, to conduct a more robust and feasible scientific research and management towards invaded species and respective impacts. The group was created in November 2014, by Joana R. Vicente, a specialist in biological invasions from CIBIO-InBIO/UP.
Until the moment, the AliensWatch comprises more than 50 researchers from several scientific disciplines (ranging from sociology and humanities, to biology, geography and mathematics). The involved researchers belong to 15 research units from distinct national Universities (Universidade do Porto, Universidade de Lisboa, Universidade dos Açores, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Universidade de Évora, Universidade de Coimbra, Universidade do Minho, Universidade de Aveiro e Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro).
The working group has been developing different activities in collaboration with governmental institutions (municipalities, ICNF, DGAV, INIAV) and other associations (apiarian, agricultural, forest units). From the set of accomplished activities, we highlight:
- the "Meeting on the Asian hornet”, in which distinct parties and scientists focused on the impacts of Vespa velutina in continental Portugal, through several discussions based on the perception and clarification of the pre-existent knowledge, proposing a set of guidelines for the sustainable management of the species’ impacts;
- the "First National Meeting on Research and Management of Biological Invasions", in which the discussions were focused on the establishment and planning of a national book, expected to include the diversity of scientific fields underlying the study of biological invasions in Portugal, from the evolution of terminology and concepts, history and research, current knowledge, to the management and preparedness of the country towards biological invasions;
- the disclosure of press releases, as well as the creation of an active discussion forum for all the AliensWatch members.
Accordingly, in the future, the AliensWatch group expects to gain a deeper bond between the distinct national scientists, and between these, the general public and other parties interested in the study and management of biological invasions in Portugal, promoting periodic activities, with technical and scientific focus, and coupled to a high disclosure level at national and international scales.