Distinct biogeographic phenomena require a specific terminology: A reply to Wilson and Sagoff

Abstract

In a recent publication (Essl et al. 2019), we proposed that the increasing number of range-expanding species that track human-induced environmental change warrant specific recognition in science and biodiversity management, and we proposed the term “neonative” for these taxa. In the present letter, we reply to two letters (Wilson 2020, Sagoff 2020) that criticized specific but different aspects presented in our publication. Although we disagree on several points with both authors, we agree that a broader discourse is needed for developing robust and widely accepted definitions and terms for the ever more important phenomenon of neonative species.