Disconnects between Communicated Impact and Ecological Impact of Biological Invasions

Abstract

Although scientists strive to accurately communicate their research, disconnects can arise between results and rhetoric. Some have regarded invasion scientists as particularly prone to using value-laden language incommensurate with the scientific facts or results. We addressed how authors used 10 near synonyms (words for which usage is similar but not completely overlapping) of the negative-value word invasive. We asked whether study findings (effect sizes) or other factors predicted language use. The use of negative-value words such as invasive was not associated with study findings but, instead, with contextual factors. For example, plant and invertebrate biologists used more negative language to describe nonnatives than did those studying vertebrates. The authors also tended to use more negative language in recently published papers than in older studies. Although many have called for impartial language when communicating research, some scientists use language imbued with value that may be inappropriate. Such use may affect how the public perceives scientific findings.

Biological invasions in France: Alarming costs and even more alarming knowledge gaps

“…High percentages of non-English costs were also reported in other countries, such as in Spain or Japan (98%, Angulo et al 2021c;and 100%, Watari et al 2021, respectively), and this percentage was lower but also important in countries such as Germany or Ecuador (69%, Haubrock et al 2021b;52%, Ballesteros-Mejias et al 2021) or in general in the Central and South America continent and in Asia (Heringer et al 2021;Liu et al 2021). In line with the recent suggestion from Blackburn et al (2020), this observation proves that academics must continue their engagements towards a more collaborative science for improving the sharing of knowledge and having adequate communication of invasion science findings to the public (Mattingly et al 2020), and ultimately an ability to better tackle the issues caused by invasive alien species.…”