Our project aims to mitigate the adverse impact of invasive species to biodiversity, ecosystem services, human health.

Invasive alien species, commonly known as IAS, are one of the biggest threats to biodiversity and ecosystems. In hopes of resolving this issue, many international political instruments, treaties, agreements, and laws have been put in place. Since prevention has been globally recognized as the best solution, the Berne Convention, together with the help of the IUCNs professional team for invasive species (ISSG), has created a number of helpful and useful ways to solve this problem. (codexes and guidelines)

Invasive alien species are a global problem, and therefore affect people and communities worldwide. However, they pose the biggest threat to undeveloped communities and farmers who cultivate species that are in direct competition with the invasive species. They often create environments that make it harder for domestic animals to reproduce, be cultivated, and live their normal lives. For example, many farmers find it difficult to deal with aggressive weeds and shrubs that come from abroad, that due to their uncontrolled and fast spread often "steals" plant soil and land from the farmers, and resources like water from plants. 

Industries, economic activities, and things that require obtaining different species like horticulture, hunting, selling and trading pets, botanic gardens, zoos, aquariums and protected areas. 

Invasive alien species are, after the destruction of ecosystems, the leading cause of declining biodiversity. It is believed that the invasive alien species (IAS) cost the global market up to 5% of the total world GDP. The price cost of the members of the EU are, not only ecological consequences, but also include the prices of managing the economic effects that can cost up to 12 million euros annually. The costs come from different types of damage caused by different invasive species, including competition with domestic species and their extrusion, decline in population and even extinction, diseases, and lowering the benefits of economic acitivites of that area. 

It is necessary to increase awareness and encourage people to join together and avoid bad behavior and educate them about the many different ways that invasive species are introduced to new habitats and give them clear and easy information about the legal obligations and laws for each sector. Also, it is very important that the general public becomes aware of this problem, especially when it comes to releasing invasive species into the wild. 

Invasive species, even when not reproducing, can be in competition with domestic animals when it comes to territory or resources. In order to increase their population, they must find other individuals, usually of the same species, although hybridization is a concern in many cases. The best chance of a successful invasion has species that have the ability of fast reproduction, big speed of spreading, parthenogenesis (the ability to reproduce without a partner), high genetic diversity and genotypic plasticity. It is believed that the most vulnerable ecosystems are the ones that were already damaged and disrupted by humans. This can, like most ecological problems, lead to climate change and to nature imbalance. In our opinion, Croatia is at big risk of this and that's why we created this chatbot. 

Our chatbot helps in the determination of invasive species using a scientific method called a dichotomous key which determines a species based on different charatesticis. It is widely used in the fields of biology and geology. With the help of defined characteristics and formulas and by using AI it comes to a conclusion whether that animal is one of the many invasive species in Croatia.