An Easy-to-Implement Decision Support Tool for the Prioritization of Management Actions: The Case Study of Procambarus clarkii in Sicily (Italy)

Abstract

The frequent introduction and rapid spread of invasive alien species (IAS) along with the limited resources available for their management highlight the need to adopt simple and effective methods for prioritizing management efforts. Here, we propose a technically simple model for prioritizing management actions, using Sicily (southern Italy) as a case study. Despite its invasion being relatively recent and the species not yet widespread, the highly invasive red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii proved to be able to colonize different habitat types on this Mediterranean island. We adopted a multicriteria analysis method based on geographic information systems (GIS) to identify both the vulnerability of different areas to its invasion, the likelihood of their invasion, and the impact that the occurrence of the red swamp crayfish might have on habitats or species of conservation relevance. The data used in our analysis are routinely available to local administrations and can be easily processed to map the most vulnerable areas for biodiversity protection. The simplicity of the model makes it particularly suitable for local administrative bodies to plan and implement effective invasive species management interventions, optimizing time and costs and allowing the development of concrete nature conservation actions.