Integrating social media and environmental DNA records to enhance surveillance and improve early detection of invasive species

Abstract

The early detection of invasive species in aquatic ecosystems is particularly challenging with most records of new species made years after their initial invasion, by which time they are already widespread. Recently, early detection tools such as citizen science and environmental DNA have emerged, significantly improving early warnings in aquatic ecosystems. However, there is limited understanding of how these new tools complement each other and how consistent they are. In this study, we present a case study combining social media data mining and environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect new records of the invasive European perch (Perca fluviatilis) in mainland Portugal. From 2021 to 2024, we analyzed online angling groups to identify potential new areas of invasion. Later, water samples were collected from several reservoirs and tested for the European perch presence using real-time quantitative PCR. The combined approach detected four new locations of European perch. Moreover, eDNA analysis revealed three new potential populations, while data mining appears to off near real-time tracking of the species’ spread. This work showcases the improved efficiently and early detection benefits of this integrated approach for monitoring freshwater invasive fish with broader applicability to other invasive species.