17: Collaborative Mapping For Understanding Complexity: Multi-Criteria Risk Assessment of Ligustrum Lucidum Invasion In A Metropolitan Landscape

This article presents the collective and transdisciplinary construction of a risk map for the invasion of Ligustrum lucidum on the northwestern slope of Sierras Chicas, Argentina. A multicriteria matrix was developed, integrating various biological, environmental, and anthropic variables through a weighted sum of normalized indicators. These indicators were obtained from official institutional databases and previous surveys by the research team. They were processed in QGIS to generate regional-scale maps for each indicator, and an integrated final map that classifies risk levels across the study area. The results reveal the actual extent of the threatened area, identifying the highest risk levels along watercourses, in forest remnants near urban areas, and within protected natural reserves. This approach accommodates both the complexity of the issue and the diverse perspectives of the team, and it is replicable for future species control interventions in similar areas worldwide.