Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The Antarctic is one such region where, in spite of multiple examples of invasion policy and management success, open, centralised data are not yet available. This dataset provides current and comprehensive information available on the identity, localities, establishment, eradication status, dates of introduction, habitat, and evidence of impact of known introduced and invasive alien species for the terrestrial and freshwater Antarctic and Southern Ocean region.
It includes records for taxa and 36 individual localities. The data are provided using current biodiversity and invasive alien species data and terminology standards. They provide a baseline for updating and maintaining the foundational knowledge needed to halt the rapidly growing risk of biological invasion in the region. Collating data on alien species has seen much recent focus, including on integration of data types and sources, and on advances in the biodiversity informatics standards needed to support such data collation.
These data now provide essential insight into the distribution, impact, and status of biological invasions worldwide e. They are foundational in making evidence-based decisions for surveillance, early eradication, and control, and underpin monitoring and reporting on management success 4. While there has been a step change in delivering country-level 2 , 5 and taxon-specific inventories of alien species e.
One such gap is the Antarctic region. From the earliest expeditions to Antarctica and the Southern Ocean Islands, humans have intentionally and accidentally introduced non-native species to the region 13 , Following the entry into force in of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty 16 , the introduction of domestic stock, sled dogs and non-sterile soil has been prohibited, and the introduction of living organisms subject to strict permit conditions.
In contrast, many alien species have established on the comparatively milder Southern Ocean Islands; some resulting in significant impacts on local biodiversity Notable examples include widespread cat, mice, and rat predation on endemic insects and seabirds 18 β 20 , vegetation damage caused by rabbits and other introduced mammals 21 , 22 , and the transformation of some plant communities by weeds 17 , These impacts have prompted the development of increasingly stringent biosecurity procedures across the region 24 , and invasive species control and eradication programs e.
