Towards integrating and harmonising information on plant invasions across Australia

By

Martín-Forés, Irene
Guerin, Greg R.
Lewis, Donna
Gallagher, Rachael V
Vilà, Montserrat
Catford, Jane
Pauchard, Anibal
Sparrow, Ben

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024

Original Publication

NeoBiota : advancing research on alien species and biological invasions

Volume

92

Pages

61--83

Subjects

Alien flora , Biological invasions , biosecurity , invasion status , plant census , standardised dataset , Terminology

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sophia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.92.113013

 

Abstract

Terminology for the invasion status of alien species has typically relied either on ecological- or policy-based criteria, with the former emphasising species’ ability to overcome ecological barriers and the latter on species’ impacts. There remains no universal consensus about definitions of invasion. Without an agreement on definitions, it is difficult to combine data that comes from a range of sources. In Australia, information on plant invasions is provided by a collection of independent jurisdictions. This has led to inconsistencies in terminology used to describe species invasion status at the national level, impeding efficient management. In this paper, we review and discuss the steps taken to harmonise the different terminologies used across Australia’s states and territories. We identified mismatches in definitions and records of invasion status for vascular plant taxa across different jurisdictions and propose prioritisation procedures to tackle these mismatches and to integrate information into a harmonised workflow at the national scale. This integration has made possible the creation of a standardised dataset at the Australian national scale (the Alien Flora of Australia). In Australia, having an integrated workflow for referring to and monitoring alien flora will aid early warning and prevent species introduction, facilitate decision-making and aid biosecurity measures.