MORA HERNANDEZ Luis Demetrio
Send an emailInvasive alien Species detection in ponds of Luxembourg through eDNA
Invasive alien species (IAS) are an increasing global threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services, as highlighted by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Their accelerated spread underscores the urgent need for early detection and rapid response systems to limit ecological and economic damage.
Within the European context, Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 requires Member States to strengthen surveillance, prevention, and management of IAS. In Luxembourg, multiple IAS of EU concern have already been recorded, and national action plans consistently identify critical knowledge gaps in spatial distribution and early warning mechanisms.
At the same time, national biodiversity policy frameworks such as PNPN3 emphasize the need to significantly reduce IAS impacts by 2030 (see also the LUXIAS project). However, achieving this goal requires more sensitive, rapid, and scalable monitoring tools, especially in understudied yet biodiversity-rich ecosystems like ponds.
The INSPECT project explores the application of environmental DNA (eDNA) methods as a next-generation solution for IAS monitoring in freshwater ecosystems. eDNA approaches allow species detection from genetic material in water, offering high sensitivity, rapid processing, and cost efficiency, particularly valuable for early-stage invasions.
The project will conduct a pilot study in Luxembourg’s pond ecosystems, focusing on at least three representative IAS (turtle, crayfish and mammal). Detection will rely on droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assays, using and adapting existing validated protocols rather than developing new ones at this stage.
This approach bridges the gap between emerging molecular tools and operational biodiversity monitoring systems.
The project will lay the foundation for a national-scale early warning system for IAS in Luxembourg. By improving detection accuracy and timeliness, it directly supports more effective management, control, and potential eradication efforts.
Key expected impacts include:
Ultimately, the project contributes to the long-term objective of reducing biodiversity loss, helping Luxembourg move toward its 2030 commitment of significantly lowering the number of species and habitats threatened by invasive alien species.
