Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species- Cook Islands
Citation
McCormack G, Wigmore W, Munro E, Brider J, Purea M, Wong L J, Pagad S (2024). Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species- Cook Islands. Version 2.14. Invasive Species Specialist Group ISSG. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/tilinz accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-08-23.Description
The Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS) presents validated and verified checklists of introduced (alien) and invasive alien species at the country level. Phase 1 of the project has focused on developing validated and verified checklists of countries that are Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity. This annotated checklist is of introduced (alien) and invasive alien species known to occur in the Cook Islands. The publication of this dataset was funded by the European Union. We would like to acknowledge GBIF and the BID programme for their support in mobilising this datasetPurpose
The resource will be a support to countries to make progress to achieve Aichi Biodiversity Target 9 -in the development of their National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans, their National Invasive Alien Species Strategy and Action Plan, target setting and monitoring.Sampling Description
Study Extent
The geographic focus of this checklist is the Cook IslandsSampling
This annotated checklist is focused on introduced (alien) and invasive species that are known to occur in the Cook Islands. The International Union for Conservation of Nature, (IUCN) describes an Introduced/ Alien and Invasive alien species as follows:An Introduced/ Alien species means a species, subspecies, or lower taxon occurring outside of its natural range (past or present) and dispersal potential (i.e. outside the range it occupies naturally or could not occupy without direct or indirect introduction or care by humans) and includes any part, gametes or propagule of such species that might survive and subsequently reproduce. An Invasive alien species means an alien species which becomes established in natural or semi-natural ecosystems or habitat, is an agent of change, and threatens native biological diversity. In GRIIS, species are recorded as having an impact (as 'yes' under 'isInvasive') if there is evidence of the species negatively impacting biodiversity, and including species that are widespread, spreading rapidly or present in high abundance (Pagad et al. 2018). This usage is relevant to the purpose of GRIIS, and consistent with the concept of impact as formulated by Parker et al. (1999) and now widely used (e.g. Didham et al. 2005, Strayer et al. 2006, McGeoch et al. 2010, 2012, Vila et al. 2011), where impact is a function not only of the per capita effect of an individual organism, but is a combined function of the effect, abundance and range size of a species. Impact can of course be defined in different ways, driven by different objectives, such as its usage in EICAT where it is defined as a measurable change to the properties of an ecosystem caused by an alien taxon (Hawkins et al. 2015). Pagad S, Genovesi P, Carnevali L, Schigel D, McGeoch MA (2018) Introducing the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species. Scientific Data, 5, 170202. https://www.nature.com/articles/sdata2017202 Parker I, Simberloff D, Lonsdale W. et al. (1999) Impact: Toward a Framework for Understanding the Ecological Effects of Invaders. Biological Invasions 1, 3–19 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010034312781 Didham RK, Tylianakis JM, Hutchison MA, Ewers RM, Gemmell NJ. (2005) Are invasive species the drivers of ecological change? Trends Ecol Evol. 2005 Sep;20(9):470-4. Epub 2005 Jul 21. Strayer DL, Eviner VT, Jeschke JM, Pace ML. (2006) Understanding the long-term effects of species invasions. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 21(11):645-51 McGeoch MA, Butchart SHM, Spear D, Marais E. Kleynhans EJ, Symes A, Chanson J, Hoffmann M. (2010) Global indicators of biological invasion: species numbers, biodiversity impact and policy responses. Diversity and Distributions Volume16, Issue1 January 2010 McGeoch, M.A., Spear, D., Kleynhans, E.J. & Marais, E. 2012. Uncertainty in invasive alien species listing. Ecological Applications 22, 959-971. 10.1890/11-1252.1 Vilà M, Espinar JL, Hejda M, Hulme PE, Jarošík V, Maron JL, Pergl J, Schaffner U, Sun Y, Pyšek P. (2011) Ecological impacts of invasive alien plants: a meta‐analysis of their effects on species, communities and ecosystems. Ecology Letters Volume14, Issue7 July 2011 Pages 702-708 Hawkins CL, Bacher S, Essl F, Hulme PE, Jeschke JM, Kühn I, Kumschick S, Nentwig W, Pergl J, Pyšek P, Rabitsch W, Richardson DM, Vilà M, Wilson JRU, Genovesi P, Blackburn TM. (2015) Framework and guidelines for implementing the proposed IUCN Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) Diversity and Distributions Volume21, Issue11 November 2015 Pages 1360-1363
Quality Control
The draft checklist is compiled by collating data and information through a comprehensive literature overview. Additional steps implemented to control the quality of the data are described below. Taxonomic harmonization and normalization using the GBIF taxonomic backbone In order to harmonize all species names across countries, species lists are subjected to a normalization process in which taxon rank and taxonomic status are identified and assigned. Spelling and other errors in assigning species authorship are also corrected. Data validation The checklist compiler team completes a review and validates all the annotations especially those on provenance and 'invasiveness' status of the species based on evidence of impact. Data verification The checklist is submitted to a network of country editors for a review of both accuracy of records, annotations and identification of any significant gaps in the data. Data verification is an iterative process and the activity is declared completed on agreement of all relevant country editors. One of the key tenets of the GRIIS project has been engagement with country editors in the verification process and as custodians of their country checklists. While this has been possible in the majority of countries, the compilers have not been very successful in this engagement for a small number of countries. In these cases, the GRIIS compiler team has completed the validation of the species records while working on identifying country expertsMethod steps
- Data collation and categorization Data filtering and categorization/ classification Taxonomic harmonization and normalization Data validation Data verification
- The published methods underpinning GRIIS and each checklist are described in the following article: Pagad S, Genovesi P, Carnevali L, Schigel D, McGeoch MA (2018) Introducing the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species. Scientific Data, 5, 170202. https://www.nature.com/articles/sdata2017202
Additional info
Versioning The GRIIS checklists are dynamic and reflect the latest known status of alien and invasive species presence and impacts. The original versions of each country checklist (v1.0) undergo two potential types of updates: 1. Major updates: These happen when batches of new species or records become available, usually addressing multiple taxonomic groups simultaneously. Each checklist is assigned a new version number after a major update (e.g. from v1.0 to v2.0). 2. Incremental updates: These are smaller ongoing updates involving the addition of new species or records based on new publications as well as taxonomic or other updates. Incremental updates to a checklist are associated with a subversion number, e.g. v1.1. The checklist version number is visible/available on the citation.Taxonomic Coverages
Animalia, Bacteria, Chromista, Fungi, Plantae, Protozoa, Viruses
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Animaliarank: kingdom
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Bacteriarank: kingdom
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Chromistarank: kingdom
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Fungirank: kingdom
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Plantaerank: kingdom
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Protozoarank: kingdom
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Virusesrank: kingdom
Geographic Coverages
Cook Islands
Bibliographic Citations
Contacts
Gerald McCormackoriginator
position: Director
Cook Islands Natural Heritage
CK
email: gerald@nature.gov.ck
William Wigmore
originator
position: Director
Crop Research & Development of the Cook Islands Ministry of Agriculture
CK
email: william.wigmore@agriculture.gov.ck
Elizabeth Munro
originator
position: Senior Biodiversity Officer
Tu’anga Taporoporo, National Environment Service
CK
email: elizabeth.munro@cookislands.gov.ck
Joseph Brider
originator
position: Senior Biodiversity Officer
National Environment Service. Government of the Cook Islands. Rarotonga, Cook Islands
CK
email: joseph.brider@cookislands.gov.ck
Mat Purea
originator
position: Secretary
Ministry of Agriculture, Cook Islands
CK
email: mat.purea@agriculture.gov.ck
Lian Jenna Wong
originator
position: Research Assistant
Biodiversity Data Management Ltd
NZ
email: eleusia@gmail.com
Shyama Pagad
originator
position: Deputy Chair Information
IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG)
NZ
email: s.pagad@auckland.ac.nz
Shyama Pagad
metadata author
position: Deputy Chair Information
IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG)
NZ
email: s.pagad@auckland.ac.nz
Shyama Pagad
author
position: Programme Officer
IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG)
NZ
email: s.pagad@auckland.ac.nz
Shyama Pagad
administrative point of contact
position: Deputy Chair Information
IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG)
NZ
email: s.pagad@auckland.ac.nz