Context

Invasive species are animal, plant or microbial species that extend their geographic range following environmental changes and human activities. In doing so, they modify the biotic and abiotic characteristics of the invaded habitat, whatever terrestrial or aquatic. They can be allochtonous (i.e. the so-called « exotic invasive species » imported from distant areas) or autochtonous (i.e. “indigenous species” rapidly expanding their distribution following important socio-environmental changes. They may have major influence on native biodiversity and ecosystemic services, human and animal health, food production and storage, natural resources operated for socio-economic purposes (fisheries, breeding activities, tourism, industries, etc.). Their economic and societal cost, rarely -if ever- documented, is obviously huge.

Public, political leaders and socio-economic stakeholders are usually unaware of the issues raised by invasive species. As a result, the implementation of strategies for monitoring and managing invasive organisms is mostly rare or inadequate.

Aims

The main purpose of the conference is to fuel the brainwork about the various approaches that allow ones to prevent or mitigate invasive species negative impacts.

In particular, it aims at (i) producing a state-of-the-art of knowledge about major invasive species and invasion processes as well as their consequences on ecosystems where they settle and multiply, (ii) documenting their socio-environmental impacts and the associated financial costs and (iii) promoting interactions between academic, political and operational stakeholders in order to identify and to evaluate the most accurate leverages towards a good surveillance and management of invasive species.

As far as we know, this conference will be the first one of its kind in West Africa. We hope to benefit from the expertise and experiences from the whole world. However, particular attention will be paid to Africa where scientific data on invasive species must be updated, research supported, and societal actions towards invasive species developed. We expect the participation of scientists, academics, students, political and socio-economic actors (e.g., border and transport operators, jurists) as well as civil representatives (e.g., NGOs, farmers group) to this  pluridisciplinary meeting

Conference themes

1. State-of-the-art of invasive species (diversity, stage of the invasive process, abundance, spatial distribution, etc.) and assessment of their socio-environmental and economic impacts.

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2. Surveillance, sanitary and phytosanitary control (e.g., procedures, laws and constraints).

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3. Biological invasion processes (e.g., modes of dissemination, success or failure factors, native-invasive species interactions, biotic resistance, host-parasite relationships, etc.).

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4. Management of invasive populations (eradication, containment, valorisation, etc.).

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5. Communication, information and awareness on invasive species.