2022/01/01 by Loïc van Doorn, Jeroen Speybroeck, Tim Adriaens +1 · 1 voice
Environmental Science · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies #Species Distribution and Climate Change #Identification and Quantification in Food
paper · pdf · doi:10.21436/inbor.71707757
openalex publication_date 2022/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
In 2018 a population of African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) was discovered in a single pond in La Chapelle-d'Armentires, France, located 2,5 km south of Komen-Waasten, Wallonia, Belgium and 5,3 km southeast of Heuvelland, Flanders, Belgium. To assess the potential presence of this species in Belgium, 74 samples of water bodies in Flanders, 23 in Wallonia and 9 in France were analysed for presence of X. laevis DNA in April 2020. Results indicate that X. laevis is not present in the prospected sites in Flanders and Wallonia at this time, whereas a strong positive signal was detected in the pond harbouring the source population in France. If the species manages to invade Belgium in the future, successful eradication will prove to be difficult and costly. Swift action in France, including, but not limited to, draining of occupied water bodies, combined with fencing and extensive environmental DNA (eDNA) screening of additional water bodies within dispersal distance is urgently needed to prevent such invasion. Furthermore, monitoring of eradication success via eDNA is recommended for several years after eradication measures have ceased.