Open-access journal Aquatic Invasions : An important part of the developing European information and early warning system on invasive alien species

Ongoing economic globalization has resulted in accelerated rates of introductions of invasive alien species (IAS) in Europe and worldwide with deleterious consequences to biological diversity (Genovesi and Shine 2004; DAISIE 2009). The serious challenges posed by mass human-mediated introductions of invasive alien species induced the strengthening of international cooperation in research, information exchange and management of invasive species during the last two decades, specifically targeting biological invasions in aquatic ecosystems (see Panov et al. 2002, Panov and Gollasch 2004, Gollasch 2007 for reviews). The International Society of Limnology (SIL) Working Group on Aquatic Invasive Species (SIL WG AIS) since its establishment in 1998, has focused on the development of information tools for the management of aquatic invasive species and in the facilitation of relevant experts networking worldwide (http://www.reabic.net/ SIL.aspx). On the Pan-European level, these activities catalyzed, in 2001, the development of the European Research and Management Network on Aquatic Invasive Species, which was first recognized by the European Commission (EC) in 2002 (ERNAIS, http://www.reabic.net/ ERNAIS.aspx). In 2005, ERNAIS initiated the establishment of the European open-access journal of applied research of invasive species in aquatic ecosystems with early warning functions, i.e. Aquatic Invasions. During 2006-2008 the European Commission provided start-up support for Aquatic Invasions through the EC Sixth Framework Programme for research and technological development projects ALARM (http://www.alarmproject.net), DAISIE (http://www.europe-aliens.org) and IMPASSE (http://ec.europa.eu/research/fp6/ssp/impasse_en.htm). Recently, the Environment Council of the EC adopted conclusions on the mid-term assessment of implementing the EU Biodiversity Action Plan and developing an EU Strategy on Invasive Alien Species, which underlines the urgent need for the Commission and the Member States to jointly develop an appropriate information system for early warning and rapid response towards invasive species (http://ec.europa.eu/ environment/nature/invasivealien/index_en.htm). In the recent European Environment Agency report “Towards an early warning and information system for invasive alien species (IAS) threatening biodiversity in Europe”, Aquatic Invasions is considered as an example of an effective information sharing tool, currently helping to increase prompt reporting of records of new invasive species threatening European biodiversity (Genovesi et al. 2010).


Introduction
Ongoing economic globalization has resulted in accelerated rates of introductions of invasive alien species (IAS) in Europe and worldwide with deleterious consequences to biological diversity (Genovesi and Shine 2004;DAISIE 2009).The serious challenges posed by mass human-mediated introductions of invasive alien species induced the strengthening of international cooperation in research, information exchange and management of invasive species during the last two decades, specifically targeting biological invasions in aquatic ecosystems (see Panov et al. 2002, Panov and Gollasch 2004, Gollasch 2007 for reviews).The International Society of Limnology (SIL) Working Group on Aquatic Invasive Species (SIL WG AIS) since its establishment in 1998, has focused on the development of information tools for the management of aquatic invasive species and in the facilitation of relevant experts networking worldwide (http://www.reabic.net/SIL.aspx).Recently, the Environment Council of the EC adopted conclusions on the mid-term assessment of implementing the EU Biodiversity Action Plan and developing an EU Strategy on Invasive Alien Species, which underlines the urgent need for the Commission and the Member States to jointly develop an appropriate information system for early warning and rapid response towards invasive species (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/invasivealien/index_en.htm).In the recent European Environment Agency report "Towards an early warning and information system for invasive alien species (IAS) threatening biodiversity in Europe", Aquatic Invasions is considered as an example of an effective information sharing tool, currently helping to increase prompt reporting of records of new invasive species threatening European biodiversity (Genovesi et al. 2010).

Early warning functions of Aquatic Invasions
A complete and effective early warning system (EWS) comprises of four inter-related elements: data collection and risk assessment (1), monitoring and warning service (2), dissemination and communication (3) and response capability (4) (see in UN Global Survey of Early Warning Systems 2006).Currently Aquatic Invasions contributes to the first three of these elements of EWS, serving as a cost-effective tool for collecting and transferring essential primary information on aquatic invasive species to the level of decision-makers, general public and other interested stakeholders (Figure 1).
The concept of the open-access journal Aquatic Invasions as an essential part of the developing European early warning system on aquatic invasive species was first presented in the editorial paper of the first issue of Aquatic Invasions published five years ago (Panov and Gollasch 2006).As we initially suggested, Aquatic Invasions is already playing an important specific role in the development of a network of internet-based global, regional and national databases on IAS, while simultaneously protecting the authors' rights on primary georeferenced data of aquatic invasive species records from monitoring and biological survey efforts, and by providing information on the biology and impacts of these species, the flow of essential information needed for decisionmaking processes is facilitated (Figure 1).
The first 5 volumes of Aquatic Invasions were published during 2006-2010, totaling 20 issues, and are freely available on-line (http://www.aquaticinvasions.net).They included 350 research articles and short communications with more than 4000 new geo-referenced records of aquatic alien species in European inland and coastal waters (Figure 2).The 5th volume of Aquatic Invasions (2010) included numerous contributions on new records of IAS in European regional seas and inland waters (953 georeferenced records, with selected records provided in Figure 3).
Publication of primary geo-referenced record data along with high quality pictures of collected alien species is a part of the editorial policy of Aquatic invasions as an applied journal, focused on the protection of authors' rights to this valuable information, for further use in open information systems and in decision-making processes.The obligatory submission of pictures  of collected alien species also ensures verification of species identification during the reviewing process organized by the Editorial Board of Aquatic Invasions, which currently includes 32 recognized international experts in taxonomy, ecology and management of aquatic invasive species.The journal facilitates timely submission and publication of extended datasets on geo-referenced species records of IAS and provides data archiving services both at the journal website and at the Regional Euro-Asian Biological Invasions Centre information system (REABIC) website (http://www.reabic.net).These data are easily accessible for potential users both in a tabular format on the journal website and also in GIS interactive format on the REABIC website as part of the development of early warning services (http://www.reabic.net/EWS.aspx).
In conclusion, one of the key benefits of the open access journal Aquatic Invasions is a timely and readily accessible publication of primary scientific information (including the proceedings of relevant international meetings), which feeds into aquatic invasive species management efforts and informs experts in decision and policy making processes.Aquatic Invasions may also contribute to timely and coordinated eradication efforts of newly-found IAS.Manuscript publication, including a comprehensive review process, takes on average less than two months, thereby reducing the publication time lag typical of many peer review international journals and provides a cost-effective early warning service, specifically for European countries.Information transfer is specifically timely in case of "Aquatic Invasions Records" papers to be published in the electronic journal supplements (see for example the 5th journal volume supplement at http://www.aquaticinvasions.net/2010/supplement1.html).The fast and comprehensive review process of manuscripts serves as an effective data quality insurance mechanism, which is generally lacking in most open IAS databases.Currently we are working on the development of additional web services for contributing authors, including online interfaces for automated upload of IAS record data series and the provision of online management for these datasets.Finally, with support of the EC Seventh Framework Programme for research and technological development collaborative project enviroGRIDS (http://www.envirogrids.net),we are currently developing mechanisms for the more effective transfer of scientific information from publications in Aquatic Invasions upwards to the level of decision-making, focusing on the Black Sea basin as a model region.

Figure 1 .
Figure 1.Role of open-access journal Aquatic Invasions in developing regional and European information and early warning systems on invasive alien species (IAS), modified from Panov and Gollasch (2006).ERNAIS -European Research and management Network on Aquatic Invasive Species (http://www.reabic.net/ERNAIS.aspx),REABIC -Regional Euro-Asian Biological Invasions Centre information system (http://www.reabic.net),EC -European Commission (http://ec.europa.eu),EEA -European Environment Agency (http://www.eea.europa.eu),OSPAR -OSPAR Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (http://www.ospar.org),HELCOM -Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (http://www.helcom.fi).Arrows indicate flow of IAS-related information.The online Decision Support System for the Black Sea region is under development (with support from the EC FP7 collaborative project enviroGRIDS, http://www.envirogrids.net).

Figure 2 .
Figure 2. Number of geo-referenced records of non-native aquatic species, published in Aquatic Invasions in 2006-2010.