First insights into the scale of invasions in African marine protected areas: leveraging global databases and citizen science data

A concerning scale of invasive alien species has been identified within African marine protected areas (MPAs), including the Banc d'Arguin National Park, with potential threats to biodiversity. The study, leveraging global databases and citizen science data, documented 27 alien species across 17 MPAs in seven countries, some posing massive or major impacts. Notably, nine MPAs, such as Table Mountain National Park (South Africa) and Banc d'Arguin (Mauritania), harbored species with significant ecological consequences. By combining freely available data sources—Protected Planet, World Register of Introduced Marine Species, iNaturalist—and applying impact assessment schemes like EICAT and SEICAT, the research provides critical insights into under-surveyed regions. This approach offers a cost-effective solution for improving invasion monitoring, aiding African states in addressing Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) Target 6 obligations and informing targeted conservation strategies.

Ackland, S. J., Richardson, D. M., & Robinson, T. B. (2025). First insights into the scale of invasions in African marine protected areas: leveraging global databases and citizen science data. NeoBiota, 102, 399–418. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.102.149275