DEMNA-DNE : Early warning system on Introduced Species in Wallonia

Study Extent

Wallonia, southern Belgium. Data derives from diverse encoding facilities, all managed by the Département d'Etude du Milieu Naturel et Agricole (SPW-DEMNA).

Sampling

Data are derived from a variety of contexts, including structured or targeted inventories conducted by the Department's experts and partners, their opportunistic observations, as well as citizen science via online survey modules targeting invasives and facilitating their participatory monitoring

Quality Control

Validation of each record is an important part of DEMNA-SPW's data policy. All raw records are submitted to a validation by biodiversity experts of the department. This validation can be based on a photo, on the observer's expertise or on plausibility. However, as this dataset serves as an early warning system, it also contains UNVALIDATED data and special attention must be paid to the identificationVerificationStatus field.

Method steps

1. Field data collection from various protocols and frameworks
2. Encoding in departement data systems (OFFH,'enquêtes invasives, etc.)
3. Automated fusion of records from the various systems
4. API for a DWC-formatted exports of exotics species records, updated daily

introduced species from Wallonia. The dataset covers both plant and animal species mentionned as non native by the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species - Belgium, and within other shorter listings. As mentionned in the basic metadata, this watch list also includes taxa that should not be considered as invasive for the entire wallonia/Belgium but from which the distribution dynamics are monitored.

1. Animalia Linnaeus, 1758
   common name: Animals, Metazoan rank: kingdom
2. Haeckel (1866)
   common name: Plants rank: kingdom