Información en español

IABIN participants identified the exchange of information on invasive species in the Americas as a priority. Earlier IABIN projects defined the information priorities for the invasive species community and began the development of a software tool for cataloging information to meet those priorities. The IABIN Invasives Information Network (I3N) pilot  project, which includes 13 countries, builds on these. (See document produced by earlier workshop: Davis Declaration.) The Environmental Diplomacy Fund of the U.S. State Department, with support from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), gave $12,000 grants to 11 of the countries (Argentina, Brazil, Bahamas, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay). Peru and the USA participated with other funds.

I3N will be composed of interoperable invasive species information nodes that use common standards and form a network to support the work of the invasive species community in the Americas. Within each country, the funds provided seed money for a Lead organization to inventory information and develop an Internet-accessible node. Each organization located, systematically documented, and provided electronic access to sources of information on the taxonomy, distribution, ecology, impacts, control, and management of alien invasive species. It inventoried and documented the information available in the country on invasives species lists, projects, experts, and biological datasets. When I3N is fully implemented, users will have single-entry-point access to metadata on data holdings of the 13 countries and of any other IABIN participants choosing to develop I3N nodes. 

Benefits of I3N

Miconia, a plant that has invaded Hawaii. Photo: Jeff Lovich, USGS.

Fosters scientific and technical cooperation.

Supports decision-making by providing access to key information.

Builds capacity.

Develops new tools for information sharing.

Promotes common standards.

More benefits

Distributed, Integrated Network

Local expertise in collecting, managing, and disseminating invasive species information is essential. Because data on invasive species in any one country represent the efforts of a heterogeneous group of players, it is wise to develop a distributed network with in-country nodes rather than a centralized system. In I3N, therefore, each country’s invasive species information is controlled by the country but is documented and posted on the Web in a standard format.