Call for papers and participation in an International Conference

When? 22-25 September 2020

Where? Saint-Louis, Senegal

The Gaston Berger University (UGB) and the West African Networks on Biological Invasions of the French Institute of Research for sustainable Development (IRD) are pleased to invite you to the International Conference "Invasive species and associated socio-environmental issues" in September 2020 at the Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis, Senegal. 

Forest landscape

Invasive species are animal, plant or microbial species that extend their geographic range due to environmental changes and human activities. In doing so, they modify the biotic and abiotic characteristics of the invaded habitat, terrestrial or aquatic. They can be allochthones (i.e. the so-called "exotic invasive species" imported from distant areas) or autochthonous (i.e. "indigenous species" rapidly expanding their distribution as a result of socio-environmental changes). They may have major influence on native biodiversity and ecosystem 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, are obviously huge.

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

Why should you join?

The main purpose of the Conference is to fuel the brain about the various approaches that allow the prevention or mitigation of invasive species' negative impacts. It aims at: 

• 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;
• documenting their socio-environmental impacts and the associated financial costs;
• 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.

Click here to find out more and to register for the Conference.