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AIS Presentation

Invasive species prevention

Aquatic invasive species are one of the greatest risks facing freshwater ecosystems. As non-native species are introduced to new environments, they may establish and become invasive - causing negative impacts like changing food webs, outcompeting native species, damaging infrastructure, and blocking access to the waterway. Once an invasive species has established, removing the species or reversing its impacts is costly, if not impossible. Therefore, preventing spread is a priority for resource management. 

 

There are a variety of ways individuals can help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Recreational boaters can clean their boats between waterbodies. Aquarium hobbyists can commit to purchasing only native species. Recreational anglers can avoid dumping unused bait in a waterbody it did not come from. Increasing engagement in these types of stewardship behaviors is an important way of minimizing the spread of invasive species. 

 

My research in this area addresses the following question: What are the primary psychological drivers of stewardship behaviors that help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species? Primarily relying on survey research and statistical modeling, results have indicated that: 

  • ​Personal risk perceptions (beliefs that one's own experience will be impacted) are a key driver of invasive species prevention (Golebie et al. 2021. North American Journal of Fisheries Management)

  • Risk perceptions may be informed by familiarity with invasive species issues and exposure to invasive fish in nearby waterways (Moore et al. 2024. Biological Invasions) 

  • Boaters facing different degrees of barriers to engaging in prevention behaviors draw on different strategies to overcome those barriers; self-efficacy and response-efficacy are most important when barriers are highest (Golebie et al. 2023. Biological Invasions)

  • Multiple forms of knowledge indirectly influence behavior by helping to build beliefs about self-efficacy, risk perceptions, and the benefits of taking action (Golebie et al. 2025. Water Biology and Security).

  • Social norms are a direct driver of prevention behavior, and are themselves determined by how one views their relationship with the environment (van Riper et al. 2019. Environmental Management)​

  • Framing outreach messages to align with the environmentally-oriented values of boaters and anglers increase their depth of thinking about the message and are likely to result in stronger behavioral outcomes (Golebie & van Riper. 2023. Environmental Communication). 

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Comprehensive project reports are available below: ​​

  • Angler behavior and aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes region (2017-2020) [link]

  • Aquatic invasive species prevention among Illinois recreational water users (2020-2022) [link]

  • Evaluating Illinois’ Organisms in Trade outreach for aquarium and water garden hobbyists (2022-2023) [link]

  • Conservation police officer aquatic invasive species engagement (2023-2024) [link]

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​This research was conducted with the van Riper Research Group at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  Our funding agencies have included Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, Great Lakes Fishery Commission, The National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

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