traveling across borders with illegal invasive species. This type of communication will be even 
more important as conditions change. Sharing information such as monitoring data among and 
within states and regions will help improve prevention and early detection efforts. Invasive 
species councils will be crucial to this effort; however, additional mechanisms and institutions 
would facilitate leadership and coordination on climate change and AIS issues at both state and 
regional levels. 
Information and research needs for leadership and coordination under a changing climate 
may include the following: 
• Identify AIS and climate-change leaders in each state to promote the importance of 
considering AIS and climate change together. 
• Understand how other states are already cooperating on climate-change or invasive- 
species issues by examining existing channels (e.g., invasive-species councils) to share 
information on AIS and climate change and other mechanisms to facilitate the transfer of 
information (e.g., regular meetings, workshops, distribution lists, databases). 
• Identify which structures, institutions, and/or policies work best across agencies and 
allow flexibility under changing conditions (e.g., flexibility in numbers or types of people 
working on issues and flexibility within legal authorities). 
• Understand the consistencies and inconsistencies among states’ laws that could affect the 
ability of states’ agencies to cooperate both within and among states (e.g., problems and 
solutions affecting multiple media managed by different divisions or agencies). 
• Prioritize invasive-species issues and concerns, in light of changing conditions. 
• Identify existing, applicable adaptive management strategies that may guide state efforts 
to begin addressing climate change considerations in AIS management. 
3.1.2. Information Needs for Effective Prevention Activities in a Changing Climate 
Effective prevention methods are fundamental to stemming the tide of AIS. Prevention 
strategies will need to be adapted based on predicted and observed climate-change impacts. 
Thus, managers will need climate information as it relates to pathways, prediction and risk 
analyses, and monitoring. 
3.1.2.1. Information Needs Related to Pathways 
States need information on how the effects of climate change (e.g., changes in 
precipitation patterns and temperature) interact with vectors and pathways of AIS transport. 
Massachusetts, for example, is particularly concerned about aquatic plants sold by nurseries that 
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