Emerging methods for aquatic invasive species detection: Results of a global survey

Aquatic invasive species are among the most severe and rapidly intensifying threats to global freshwater biodiversity, driving more than half of documented freshwater species extinctions. Early detection of invasion fronts and effective monitoring of established populations are critical, yet freshwater environments present unique challenges: many invaders persist at low densities or remain cryptic, habitats are either highly fragmented (lakes and ponds) or extensively connected (rivers), and hydrological processes can redistribute organisms and their detectable signals. Recent technological innovations, including environmental DNA, drones, robotic samplers, passive acoustic sensors, underwater imaging, and machine-learning–based identification, offer transformative opportunities to improve surveillance. However, their effectiveness hinges on aligning method attributes with invasive species traits, behaviours, life-history strategies, and habitat use. In this talk, we present findings from a global survey of limnologists that explores how emerging detection methods are currently applied, perceived, and prioritized in the context of fundamental ecological characteristics of aquatic invaders. We highlight global patterns in perspectives, gaps between technological potential and real-world feasibility, and opportunities for strategically aligning species ecology with methodological innovation. Together, these insights help inform the synergistic deployment of emerging detection tools to enhance early-warning capacity and long-term monitoring of aquatic invasive species.

Presentation Preference: Standard Oral (12 Minutes)

Primary Presenter: Jack Greenhalgh, MCGill University (jackhalgh95@gmail.com)

Authors:

Jack Greenhalgh, McGill University  (jackhalgh95@gmail.com)

Lars Iversen, McGill University  (lars.iversen@mcgill.ca)

Irene Gregory-Eaves, McGill University  (irene.gregory-eaves@mcgill.ca)