Invasive alien species (ITV) represent a multifaceted problem of modern society and ecosystems. ITVs displace native species, destroy the delicate balance of ecosystems, weaken their resilience and prevent their sustainable use. Most ITV introductions are accidental and result from global trade or human migration. ITV eradication can only be effective if ITV is detected early enough, when it is still occurring on a very limited scale, and we respond quickly with appropriate control measures. This is exactly one of the tasks of the LIFE ARTEMIS project, which aims to raise awareness, train and take action for ITV in the forest. The mentioned project will establish a system for early detection and rapid response to ITV findings in Slovenia (ZOHO system). An important part of the ZOHO system is the public electronic information system for collecting data on the prevalence of ITV in Slovenia. We developed and established an electronic information system, which we called Invazivke, which includes a desktop, web and mobile application. The Invasivka system is designed to connect several existing information systems that already collect data on ITV. The online and mobile applications are intended for the general public, while the desktop application is intended for employees of the Public Forestry Service.
The Invasivke mobile application is free and intended for the general public. To use the application, you must register using a valid email address. It is intended for field data collection with a smart device that includes a GPS sensor and a digital camera. This allows us to automatically capture the location (exact X and Y coordinates) and photo with the device, which greatly facilitates and speeds up data entry. This leaves the user only to manually select the type from the drop-down list. The application also provides a manual with a description of ITV, including pictorial material for easier identification of the found organism. The Invazivke mobile application enables you to record ITV findings without an internet connection. Data exchange with the central server takes place at the request of the user when he is connected to the internet and is carried out according to the synchronization procedure.
Part of the Invasivka mobile application is a list of ITVs with their descriptions. The description of each species includes photos of the most characteristic symptoms, the origin of the species, the routes of introduction, a list of neighboring countries where the species already occurs, the period of detection and activity of the species, a description of the habitat, status, impact and a list of similar species together with descriptions of distinguishing characters.
The mobile application was developed as part of the LIFE ARTEMIS project (LIFE15 GIE/SI/000770), which was co-financed by: the LIFE program within the European Commission, the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and the City of Ljubljana (in the period 2016-2020).
