Country reports Overview of the invasive alien species in Serbia Milica Rat1*, Predrag Simonović2, Milka Glavendekić3, Momir Paunovic4, Verica Stojanović5, Maja Karaman1, Dimitrije Radišić1, Goran Anačkov1 University Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology, Trg Dositeja Obradovica 2, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia University of Belgrade, Faculty of Forestry, Kneza Viseslava 1, 11030 Belgrade, Serbia University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research “Siništa Stanković”, Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia, Dr Ivana Ribara 91, 11070 Belgrade, Serbia *corresponding e-mail:
[email protected] Abstract Invasive alien species are one of the main threats for biodiversity in the world, and nowadays scientific researches as well as policy makers’ cope with them. Regardless, in Serbia this issue is neglected, without appropriate institutional collaboration. To evaluate state of art in Ser- bia, adopted laws and regulations, published scientific papers, concluded and ongoing research projects with emphasis of recorded alien species to date are reviewed. Alien species are defined as allochtonous species in policy documents, while in scientific papers approaches depend on the subject. By now, 346 invasive alien species were recorded in Serbia. Plants present the most numerous group of species, with 172 recorded alien species. Insects are the second large group with 78 species. Apart from them, important are records of cyanobacteria and fungi, while for the first time are summarized data about alien and potentially invasive bird species. Aqauatic ecosystems are the most vurn- eralbe and threatened by spread of invasive alien species in Serbia, with more than 80 aqatic alien organisms.