Norms for Nomenclature

India is known for its megabiodiversity, as it is home to various endemic flora and fauna species. Invasive species spread into forests, leading to homogenisation and functional biodiversity loss, as they impact the ecosystem by predating, outcompeting, or hybridizing with native species. Thus, invasive species expansion becomes the primary threat to global biodiversity loss. In any landscape, it's an emerging phenomenon arising from the increasing rate at which invasion propagules are introduced and the degree of disturbance of that particular ecosystem. If we talk about the knowledge of the extent of the invasion and management efforts, they mainly started in economically developed countries, specifically those with the Human Development Index (HDI). In the 21st century, the regions that are highly vulnerable to invasion face poor quantification, as there is a disparity between invasion threats and capacities to respond to those threats. Lantana camara is a well-known forest-killing weed and is one of the aggressive pantropical invasive species. It was introduced in India from 1807 onward during the colonial period as an ornamental plant. Significant studies have been conducted in the field of invasive ecology, covering aspects such as invasive species and their ecological impacts, habitat invasiveness, and the dynamics of interactions throughout the invasion process (i.e., arrival, establishment, colonization, naturalization, and spread). These studies not only provide additional information and improved understanding but also increase awareness of complexities and uncertainties; thus, the definition of invasion also varies within the scientific community and organizations. The invasive plant species definition recommended by Richardson et al. (2000) is “Naturalized plants that produce reproductive offspring, often in very large numbers, at considerable distances from parent plants (approximate scales: > 100 m; < 50 years for taxa spreading by seeds and other propagules; > 6 m/3 years for taxa spreading by roots, rhizomes, stolons, or creeping stems), and thus have the potential to spread over a considerable area.” Therefore, to develop effective management strategies, it is essential to adopt a universally accepted definition of invasive plant species. Such standardization enables accurate quantification and targeted restoration planning for specific species. Otherwise, even within the same landscape, if multiple organizations are involved, inconsistencies in assessment and varied management approaches may lead to conflict and inefficiency.