Table 2 Matching of data fields and terms used on the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS) Homepage with those used in GRIIS Checklists (for Darwin Core term definitions see http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms).

1. Taxonomy

taxonID

Species scientific name and species authority as listed in the source and accepted scientific name (if different). The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) Backbone Taxonomy is used as the taxonomic editor to harmonise species scientific names across all country GRIIS Checklists. The species scientific name as recorded in the primary information source is listed; if the species scientific name is listed as a synonym in GBIF, the accepted name is listed together with the species synonym. GRIIS splits the scientific name and species authority into two fields.

scientificName

acceptedNameUsage taxonRank taxonomicStatus

On the GRIIS Homepage the ‘Accepted scientific name’ is included in the primary list and the synonym used by the source information can be viewed as a comment. In the GBIF view, if a synonym is used by the source information, the accepted name is listed under acceptedNameUsage and the synonym is included in the scientific ‘Name’ field.

kingdom

Higher taxonomy, sourced from the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. The GRIIS Homepage includes only Kingdom as part of the higher taxonomy of a species. The GRIIS Checklists include kingdom, phylum, class, order, and family.

phylum

class

order

family

2. Habitat

realm habitat associatedTaxa

The environment in which the species occurs or that it is associated with. This could include a host plant or host animal in the case of parasites or plant diseases, for example.

3. Occurrence and origin status

occurrenceStatus establishmentMeans

Origin (provenance) of the species. Three options have been considered in the classification of the non-native origin: Alien (species that have been introduced outside their natural range by human action); Cryptogenic/ Uncertain (species whose origins are uncertain); Native-Alien (species that are native to one area of the country and alien and invasive in another).

countryCode

Country or territory where the species occurs. This includes all countries that are Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and EU island territories and dependencies. The list of country names includes the list of Parties to the CBD and the list of EU island territories and dependencies as listed by the European Union (UN member states and EU Overseas Countries and Territories).

Verification of the origin, occurrence and impact of the alien species within the country by nominated Country Editors.

4. Impact

isInvasive

Evidence of impact—A ‘yes’ for evidence of impact denotes that the alien species is ‘invasive’ in that country. A systematic decision-making process was used to decide if a species was classified as ‘invasive’ at a country level (see Fig. 2).

5. Updates and sources

versions

The last modified date of a species record is recorded. A version number is assigned to every version of the GRIIS Checklist published through the IPT, at the conclusion of an annual update (for e.g., ver1, ver2). All incremental updates within a calendar year will result in a subsidiary number being assigned to the current version (e.g., ver2.1, ver3.2).

Complete list of the sources of information/references for every species record. Also included are sources of information and references for every species record and an indication if the species record has been verified by a Country Editor. Webpages with GRIIS Checklists published through GBIF.org display recommended DOI-enabled citation constructed from the checklist metadata elements.