The emerging invasive species and climate-change lexicon

Invasive species are a threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services, requiring significant resources for management to mitigate impacts.Invasive species management is conducted under policy and funding frameworks that rely on defining nuanced invasion science concepts so they can be operationalized.Climate change has led to a rapidly developing science and terminology related to species ranges and impacts, adding another layer of complexity to invasion science, often with consequences to management and policy.We propose an adaptable framework that organizes invasive species and climate change terminology. The framework describes possible scenarios resulting from climate-change-induced changes to species’ ranges and impacts, and serves as a tool to assist decision-making, improve communication, and promote inclusion of terms that reflect a range of perspectives and values. The rapid diversification of terminology associated with invasion ecology is a known barrier to effective communication and management. These challenges are magnified by the addition of terms and concepts related to climate-induced range-shifting taxa and/or changes to impacts. Further, institutional policies and terminologies for invasive species introduce new ambiguities when considering climate change. To alleviate communication and application challenges, we introduce a conceptual framework that organizes climate-related invasion terms, revealing ambiguities and gaps. Additionally, we illustrate how these ambiguities can affect management with four case studies and consider situations where resolution can improve policy and management outcomes. The framework can help users avoid inconsistent use of terminology, and prioritize when to address management and policy consequences related to associated terminological ambiguity. The rapid diversification of terminology associated with invasion ecology is a known barrier to effective communication and management. These challenges are magnified by the addition of terms and concepts related to climate-induced range-shifting taxa and/or changes to impacts. Further, institutional policies and terminologies for invasive species introduce new ambiguities when considering climate change. To alleviate communication and application challenges, we introduce a conceptual framework that organizes climate-related invasion terms, revealing ambiguities and gaps. Additionally, we illustrate how these ambiguities can affect management with four case studies