1. Alien species and classification under the WFD
Jochen Vandekerkhove (IES)
Ana Cristina Cardoso (IES)
Phil Boon (SNH)

2. Background Objective 3 of ECOSTAT mandate:
“To compare approaches and promote exchange of experiences on development and application of monitoring and biological classification systems in the Member States”
Priority tasks of ECOSTAT ad-hoc topic on alien species:
Determine how to use alien species data in classifying ecological status
Evaluate the potential of existing alien species databases for compiling lists that can be used under the WFD
Link to the Invasive Species Strategy and parallel activities (MSFD)
History (2009)
- May: Questionnaire (23 Member States + Norway; report)
June: Workshop (20 participants: ECOSTAT/GIGs, DGEnv, scientists, IUCN; report)
Conclusion: Globally, AS constitute an important pressure and alter the taxonomic composition of biological communities; therefore they must be taken into account when implementing the WFD.

3. 1. Alien species - WFD ecological status MS method detects AS pressure
Workshop Conclusion 5
In some cases, biological assessment tools used for ecological status classification may have already integrated any impacts from alien species (Option 3). Where this is not the case, biological assessment tools should be modified to achieve this, or alien species pressures may be assessed as a separate step in ecological status classifications (Options 1 or 2). Alternatively, a separate assessment should be undertaken using e.g. a ‘biopollution’ index (Option 4).
MS method detects AS pressure
qualitative
post-assessment downgrading
quantitative
OPTION 1
OPTION 2 no
WISER
QUESTIONNAIRE
yes
OPTION 3 no
OPTION 4 (BPI)

4. 1. Alien species - WFD ecological status
WISER QUESTIONNAIRE

5. 1. Alien species - WFD ecological status
Lakes
Rivers
Coast/Trans
11% of WFD methods
(27 of 217) 7 10 10 69 75 73
Macrophytes
Angiosperms
AT, BE, SI
BE, AT, DE
ES, BE, IE, DE
Benthic invertebrates
BE, EE
BE, EE, UK
BE, NL
Fish
BE, IT
AT, BE, SK
Phytobenthos
Phytoplankton
Macroalgae HU
EE, PO, IT, IE
Evaluation pressure – response relationship
Who: MSs, GIGs, JRC, WISER?
How to quantify alien species pressure? Biopollution index?
Data sets needed (site specific multi-taxon species lists with abundance categories):
Lakes: AT, BE, SI, EE, IT
Rivers: AT, BE, DE, DK, EE, HU, SK
Coastal/Transitional: BE/NL, DE, EE, ES, IE, IT, PO,

6. 1. Alien species - WFD ecological status
Workshop Conclusion 7
‘Biopollution’ indices may provide a potential tool to meet the needs outlined in C5-6. Although methods such as BPL, SBC and IBPR show some promise, they have been applied most widely in marine environments. It is recommended that a project is planned at a European level to develop the approach across all types of surface waters, including (inter alia) their application to the WFD.
No consensus (trade-off between practicability and accuracy)
Need for harmonized IAS lists with impact (and establishment) categorization

7. 1. Alien species - WFD ecological status
Comparison of BPIs: needs
Multi-group community data with (categorized) abundances
project-based (BIOMAN etc.)
BioFresh (FP7)  Freshwater Biodiversity Portal for Europe and world
WISER?
WFD IC?
Alien species lists
DAISIE: synonyms, spelling errors, irregular updating, completeness is MS specific
MSs: 16 of EU27; completeness is MS specific
JRC: Integration of 31 alien species databases
Centralized European alien species database (post 2012)
Impact categorization
literature, DAISIE, EEA?
defining criteria for use under WFD

8. 2. Alien species lists global (4) European (2) regional (3)
national (22)

9. 2. Alien species lists 13827 species names (EU27)
DE (3212)
DK (3307)
AT (2302)
DAISIE
54% 9% 7%
other 5%
12%
11%
NOBANIS 3%
44633 species x country records (EU27)
DAISIE
34%
13% 9%
15%
17%
NOBANIS 7%
other 4%

10. annelida/platyhelminthes
2. Alien species lists
plantae
actinopterygii
(-actinopterygii)
chordata
arthropoda
other
mollusca
worms
annelida/platyhelminthes
ochrophyta
/ 8
1777 aquatic aliens
13827 aliens (EU27+NO)
TERRESTRIAL
90%
FRESHWATER 7%
MARINE 7%
/ 10 ?
high impact aliens
criteria?

11. 3. Links with other activities
1. Marine Strategy Framework Directive (AC) - July 2010: EC decision on GeS with criteria for non-indigenous species 2. FP7 BioFresh project (KT, AC) - Data portal for freshwater biodiversity data
Models for freshwater biodiversity (native vs. alien)
Policy support – awareness raising
3. FP7 WISER project (DH)
- Evaluation alien species pressure - response relationships of WFD methods?
- Methods questionnaire
- Data sets (?) 4. EU Early Warning Rapid Response framework (PG) - do nothing < EU panel < EU institution

12. Planned activities
Determine how to use alien species data in classifying ecological status
* evaluation alien species pressure – response relationship?
* comparison of biopollution indices
* evaluation alien species capture efficiency of WFD methods
Evaluate the potential of existing alien species databases for compiling lists that can be used under the WFD
* finalize report on gaps in and complementarity of existing alien species databases
* propose criteria for impact categorisation
Link to the Invasive Species Strategy and parallel activities
* BioFresh: alien species tasks (SB, UPS) and policy support (WD, IUCN)
* MSFD: coordination Task Group on non-indigenous species (AC)
* EWRR: follow-up pogress (PG)

13. Potential for a CEN standard
Background
CEN/TC 230/WG 2 – Biological and Ecological Methods
Proposal for a CEN guidance standard at ECOSTAT alien species workshop in Bordeaux
What might a standard cover?
Terms and definitions – need for clarity and consistency
Creating and maintaining lists of alien species relevant to WFD – what criteria should be used?
Monitoring and recording alien species – standard biological sampling methods may not be effective for all species
Risk assessment – how to assess risk of invasion, establishment, causing ecological damage
Assessing levels of impact for individual species – need consistent approach
Discussion at WG 2
Meeting in Rome, 6th May