Harnessing iEcology data to uncover invasive species behaviour

Abstract

1. Invasive animal species threaten ecosystems, biodiversity and human livelihoods.Behavioural traits such as boldness, exploratory tendencies, learning ability andsocial interactions are known to influence invasion success. Yet these behaviouraltraits remain underexplored due to challenges in observing behaviour across large spatial and temporal scales. 2. The emerging field of iEcology—studying ecology using digital data such as online photos, videos, sounds and text, generated for other purposes—offers a novel and scalable approach for investigating invasive species behaviour. 3. Here, we demonstrate the application of iEcology to uncover novel insights into the behaviour of invasive species, such as dominance over the native species,interactions with native species or increased tolerance to humans, all critical forassessing species’ invasion potential and management. We also discuss challengesof applying iEcology to studying the behaviour of invasive animals and highlightthe need for careful validation and complementary methods. Finally, we highlightways and provide a workflow to maximise the potential of iEcology for advancingthe study of invasive species behaviour.4. We advocate for integrating iEcology into invasion science to advance ourunderstanding of animal behaviours accompanying invasion success andultimately to support the monitoring, management and mitigation strategies ofbiological invasions. We argue that iEcology is best viewed as a complementarytool that enriches .traditional behavioural ecology and invasion biology, enablingrapid, accessible insights into one of the most urgent ecological issues of our time.