An inventory of native-alien populations in South Africa

Species can be both native and alien to a given administrative region. Here we present the first consolidated inventory of these 'native-alien populations' for South Africa, and provide an overview of the data it contains. To gather data, literature searches were performed and experts were consulted both directly and via an on-line survey. Putative native-alien populations were then scored based on a newly developed protocol. The final inventory contains information on 77 native species from 49 families across nine classes that have formed 132 native-alien populations across the terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments. The phenomenon is rare when compared to the prevalence of related phenomena, such as alien species introduced from other countries (2033 alien species in South Africa), but is under-reported. However, they pose a specific problem for regulators and managers and their importance will likely increase with global change. These data will be integrated with an existing alien species list and, we hope, will provide a useful foundation to address the issue. We encourage those working on biodiversity to contribute more records.

Automated summary

This article presents the first consolidated inventory of 'native-alien populations' in South Africa and provides an overview of the data it contains. Data was gathered through literature searches and expert consultations, and scored using a newly developed protocol. The inventory includes 77 native species forming 132 native-alien populations across different environments. While rare compared to alien species from other countries, these populations pose specific challenges for regulators and managers, and their importance is expected to increase with global change. The data will be integrated with an existing alien species list to address the issue.