Packer J. P., L. A. Meyerson, D. M. Richardson, G. Giuseppe Brundu, W. Allen, G. P. Bhattarai, H. Brix, S. Canavan, S. Castiglione, A. Cicatelli, J. Čuda, J. T. Cronin, F. Eller, F. Guarion, W. W.-H. Guo, W.-Y. Guo, X. Guo, J. Hierro, C. Lambertini, J. Liu, V. Lozano, T. J. Mozdzer, H. Skálová, D. Villarreal, R. Wang and P. Pyšek. 2017. Global networks for invasion science: benefits, challenges and guidelines. Biological Invasions 19: 1081-1096.
ABSTRACT
Biological invasions are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity and are increasing in scale and severity. While much has been done to address these challenges, there are still fundamental and urgent questions which need to be answered before the spread and impact of alien species can be prevented. The most strategic questions are those with the greatest potential to substantially shift our understanding and our capacity to manage invasions effectively. Many are biogeographic in nature: they relate to the influence and impacts of biological invasions at the local, continental and global scales. Innovative and widely applicable solutions are urgently needed by invasion scientists, policymakers, land managers and practitioners. Here we propose a framework to encourage the development of 'Global Networks for Invasion Science' to generate answers to the most strategic questions. We outline four characteristics as defining features of global networks, review the benefits and challenges of these collaborations, and offer a roadmap on the essential components of a successful collaboration at the global scale. Our intent is to encourage more networks, with greater capacity, to generate knowledge and innovative strategies to deal with biological invasions as a worldwide biogeographic phenomenon. While the pace and scale of global change is likely to continue escalating, strategic and collaborative global networks offer our best hope of conserving and restoring natural systems threatened by biological invasions.
