GRIIS-validation-Belgium

Validation of Belgian checklist in the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species

Purpose

The purpose is to confront the unified TrIAS checklist with the country-level checklist in the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS). This way, GRIIS can be validated for Belgium. To that purpose, every species record in GRIIS should be checked with regards to species presence as well as the information contained in the register (introduction date, pathway, impact). Species lacking from GRIIS should be provided to IUCN.

Background

The IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) is working on the development of the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS, https://www.nature.com/articles/sdata2017202) within the framework of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) initiative – the Global Invasive Alien Species Information Partnership – a partnership of global invasive species information providers. GRIIS is presented online in the form of validated and verified country level annotated inventories of introduced and invasive species, some of which were already published as checklists on GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/news/80f4taFSTu8kgkMU2qcqe/national-alien-species-lists-published-through-gbif). Annotations include higher taxonomy and biological status at the country level (provenance –native or alien status and invasiveness). GRIIS also documents date of introduction or first record, pathway of introduction information if available and evidence of impact with all source information referenced. GRIIS verifies the records of species presence and biological status in all the country inventories through a network of nominated country editors.

Datasets acquired

GISD-Vocabularies-2014.xlsx : list of vocabularies used in the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD). All GRIIS data is harmonised with this vocabulary.

Belgium-GRIIS-2015-Reviewer-WRIMS-tagged.xls : the most recent extract acquired (26/01/2016) from GRIIS for Belgium, which includes the RINSE register and an extract of WRIMS for marine species.

WRIMS_distributions_20151005-Belgium-extraction.xlsx : an extraction from WRIMS for Belgium (acquired 26/01/2016), which was used in GRIIS (highlighted in Belgium-GRIIS-2015-Reviewer-WRIMS-tagged.xls)

Data description

Several sources are mentioned in the dataset for the Belgian GRIIS register. The three major sources checked include Harmonia, publication on Neophytes by P Verloove, the RINSE dataset and other databases (DAISIE etc.). A literature survey was conducted and any other annotations recorded. Brief description of annotations (source: email from Shyama Pagad, Program Officer IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group, 15/10/2014):

· A-B Country name and code

· C Species name as listed in the source

· D-J Higher taxonomy recorded (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family) synonyms. We have also included a column for ‘Accepted name’. We plan to run species names through a function in GBIF to provide the taxonomic status of the name listed in the source, this is so we are consistent across all countries [This will be filled in by GRIIS]. Also includes a reference code- please refer to Reference list for the reference

· K Environment/System [This will be filled in by GRIIS]

· L Provenance or native/alien status as listed by the source

· M Provenance or native/alien status as assigned by the compiler for the sake of consistency

· N Invasiveness status as listed by the source

· O Invasiveness status as assigned by the compiler for the sake of consistency

· P Reference code

· Q Considering the challenges in Invasive species related terminology and absence of a universal standard, weeds, pests and diseases or pathogens of agriculture are listed as invasive alien species. The editor is encouraged to mark ‘yes’ if the species is a weed, pest, disease or pathogen of agriculture

· R & S Date of Introduction or first report

· T Reference code

· U Introduction type if intentional or unintentional

· V-X Pathways of introduction is known

· Y Reference code

· Z If impacts have been recorded

· AA –AC Impact types on ecosystems, species or socio-economic

· AD Reference code

· AE Evidence of impact – While this appears to be similar to Z. The Y/N refers to ‘evidence’ of impacts as a result of a study or observed aggressive spread

· AF Reference code

· AG & AH Notes