DNA (meta)barcoding of biological invasions: a powerful tool to elucidate invasion processes and help managing aliens

Biological invasions are a major threat to the world’s biodiversity with consequences on ecosystem structure and functioning, species evolution, and human well-being (through ecosystem services). Conservation of biological diversity and management of biological resources require multi-level management strategies on non-native species, in order to (1) prevent biological introductions, (2) detect non-native species at an early stage of the introduction, and (3) eradicate or maintain at a low level of population density non-native species that were successfully introduced. A pre-requisite to any control measures on non-native species is the ability to rapidly and accurately identify the putative threatening alien species. DNA barcoding, and its recent extension, DNA metabarcoding are complementary tools that have proved their value in the identification of living beings. Here we review their use in the identification of non-native species at several steps of the introduction processes, and how they can be applied in the control and management of biological introductions. Through examples covering various taxa and ecosystems (terrestrial, freshwater, marine), we highlight the strengths and weaknesses of approaches that we foresee as crucial in the implementation of early warning strategies.