AIS explorer: Prioritization for watercraft inspections-A decision-support tool for aquatic invasive species management

Amy C Kinsley; Robert G Haight; Nicholas Snellgrove; Petra Muellner; Ulrich Muellner; Meg Duhr; Nicholas B D Phelps

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115037

AIS explorer: Prioritization for watercraft inspections-A decision-support tool for aquatic invasive species management

J Environ Manage. 2022 Jul 15:314:115037. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115037. Epub 2022 Apr 21.

Authors

Amy C Kinsley¹, Robert G Haight², Nicholas Snellgrove³, Petra Muellner⁴, Ulrich Muellner³, Meg Duhr⁵, Nicholas B D Phelps⁶

Affiliations

¹ University of Minnesota, Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA; University of Minnesota, Center for Animal Health and Food Safety, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA; University of Minnesota, Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center, USA. Electronic address: carr0603@umn.edu.
² USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.
³ Epi-interactive, P.O. Box 15327, Miramar, Wellington, 6243, New Zealand.
⁴ Epi-interactive, P.O. Box 15327, Miramar, Wellington, 6243, New Zealand; Massey University, School of Veterinary Science, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
⁵ University of Minnesota, Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center, USA.
⁶ University of Minnesota, Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center, USA; University of Minnesota, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, USA.

PMID: 35462252
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115037

Abstract

Invasions of aquatic invasive species have caused significant economic and ecological damage to global aquatic ecosystems. Once an invasive population has established in a new habitat, eradication can be financially and logistically impossible, motivating management strategies to rely heavily upon prevention measures to reduce the introduction and spread. To be productive, on-the-ground management of aquatic invasive species requires effective decision-making surrounding the allocation of limited resources. Watercraft inspections play an important role in managing aquatic invasive species by preventing the overland transport of invasive species between waterbodies and providing education to boaters. In this study, we developed and tested an interactive web-based decision-support tool, AIS Explorer: Prioritization for Watercraft Inspections, to guide AIS managers in developing efficient watercraft inspection plans. The decision-support tool is informed by a network-based algorithm that maximized the number of inspected watercraft that move from AIS infested to uninfested lakes within and between counties in Minnesota, USA. It was iteratively built with stakeholder feedback, including consultations with county managers, beta-testing of the web-based application, and workshops to educate and train end-users. The co-development and implementation of data-driven decision support tools demonstrate how interdisciplinary methods can be used to connect science and management to support decision-making. The AIS Explorer: Prioritization for Watercraft Inspections application makes optimized research outputs accessible in multiple dynamic forms that maintain pace with discovery of new infestations and local needs. In addition, the decision support tool has supported improved and closer communication between AIS managers and researchers on this topic.

Keywords: Aquatic invasive species; Aquatic resource management; Decision-support tool; Invasive species management; Network algorithm; Resource allocation; Stakeholder engagement.

MeSH terms

Ecosystem*
Introduced Species*
Lakes
Minnesota