Report prepared for the Experts Meeting Towards the Implementation of a Global Invasive Species
Information Network (GISIN), 6-8 April, 2004. Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Page 35
8/30/2004
involved in invasive species science.
Genetics is definitely becoming increasingly
important to invasive species. There is a
common fear that genetically modified
species may become super-invaders, and at
the other end of the spectrum, the same
technology may create highly specific
biological control agents to combat
invasions. And from a taxonomic point of
view, global consensus about species
identifications may be reached through
advances in genetic sequencing – the use
of unique genetic IDs for species may
eliminate the whole name problem.
Any future survey on IAS information
management should also include a question
requesting respondents to prioritize and add
to a list of generic IAS fact sheet field
names and their definitions. Composite fact
sheets cannot be created unless the data
entry fields in contributing information
systems are populated with agreed-upon
information that would be included in a fact
sheet. Respondents were not provided with
an opportunity to fully define a fact sheet,
species profile or occurrence report.
However, a sample species fact sheet or
profile could be developed based on the
ranking of survey questions and the
information provided by respondents in the
Other categories. Many organizations are
beginning to create information fact sheets
such as "Plant Invaders of the Mid-Atlantic
Natural Areas," published by the United
States National Park Service and United
States Fish and Wildlife Service at
antic/index.htm (NPS 2004). In this
example, an important field is native
alternatives, since many of the invasive
species listed in this publication are garden
ornamentals that the public are hesitant to
remove without replanting something else in
its place.
A term used in the surveys that needs
definition is "expertise." The non-technical
limitation results suggest that (after solving
funding issues) programming and database
design with biological/ecological
interest/skills/experience would be valued
more than IAS experts. The need for a true
collaboration effort across fields that
traditionally have not joined is again
reiterated (IT and IAS science). The world of
genetics and medicine has learned from
each other and their efforts to store and
share information. Cross-cutting issues like
IAS can only be successfully dealt with
through strong collaboration and inter-
disciplinary science.
When respondents ranked database types
in importance to GISIN, this ties in again
with the point that ‘research’ is ranked lower
than just plan ‘information’ about a species.
A database type that was ranked highly was
'geospatial,' and 'distribution' is highest
among current database information types.
Although this survey and the GISIN meeting
focus on IAS data, databases, and DDS, we
need to remember that what is invasive in
one place is native somewhere. Sharing
detailed fact sheet information about
species where they are native may be very
helpful toward possible management
techniques where they are invasive. This
approach to invasive species control can
only be achieved through extensive
collaboration among nations.
CONCLUSION
Extensive similarity in infrastructure and
technology exists among the participants of
this survey. Issues that must be addressed
in order to achieve successful collaboration
among IAS information systems are
identification of funding sources,
establishment of common standards, and
agreement on, or cross-walking of, clear
taxonomic information. Strong collaboration
across disciplines is required to achieve
global success in invasive species
information management.
To increase the usability of an IAS
database, emphasis should be placed on
the identification of species, information and
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