Volume 9, Issue 4 (2014)
published November 2014
Contents | |
Research articles |
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Stelios Katsanevakis, Inger Wallentinus, Argyro Zenetos, Erkki Leppäkoski, Melih Ertan Çinar, Bayram Oztürk, Michal Grabowski, Daniel Golani and Ana Cristina Cardoso
Impacts of invasive alien marine species on ecosystem services and biodiversity: a pan-European review
(pp 391-423)
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A good understanding of the mechanisms and magnitude of the impact of invasive alien species on ecosystem services and biodiversity
is a prerequisite for the efficient prioritisation of actions to prevent new invasions or for developing mitigation measures.
In this review, we identified alien marine species that have a high impact on ecosystem services and biodiversity in European seas,
classified the mechanisms of impact, commented on the methods applied for assessing the impact and the related inferential strength,
and reported on gaps in available information. Furthermore, we have proposed an updated inventory of 87 marine species in Europe,
representing 13 phyla, which have a documented high impact on ecosystem services or biodiversity.
Food provision was the ecosystem service that was impacted by the greatest number of alien species (in terms of both positive
and negative impacts). Following food provision, the ecosystem services that were negatively affected by the highest number of alien
species were ocean nourishment, recreation and tourism, and lifecycle maintenance, while the ecosystem services that were most often
positively impacted were cognitive benefits, water purification, and climate regulation. In many cases, marine aliens were found to impact
keystone/protected species and habitats. Thirty percent of the assessed species had an impact on entire ecosystem processes or wider ecosystem
functioning, more often in a negative fashion. Forty-nine of the assessed species were reported as being ecosystem engineers, which fundamentally
modify, create, or define habitats by altering their physical or chemical properties.
The positive impacts of alien species are probably underestimated, as there is often a perception bias against alien species. Among the species
herein assessed as high-impact species, 17 had only negative and 7 only positive impacts; for the majority (63 species), both negative and positive
impacts were reported; the overall balance was often unknown. Although there is no doubt that invasive species have modified marine ecosystems, evidence
for most of the reported impacts is weak, as it is based on expert judgement or dubious correlations, while only 13% of the reported impacts were inferred
via manipulative or natural experiments. A need for stronger inference is evident, to improve our knowledge base of marine biological invasions and better
inform environmental managers.
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Dale R. Calder, Henry H.C. Choong, James T. Carlton, John W. Chapman, Jessica A. Miller and Jonathan Geller
Hydroids (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) from Japanese tsunami marine debris washing ashore in the northwestern United States
(pp 425-440)
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Fourteen species of hydroids, including two anthoathecates and 12 leptothecates, are reported from the west coast of North America on debris
from the tsunami that struck Japan on 11 March 2011. Six species were found on a dock that stranded at Agate Beach, Newport, Oregon, five from
a boat at Gleneden Beach, Oregon, four from a dock in Olympic National Park, Washington, and two from a boat in Grays Harbor, Washington.
Obelia griffini Calkins, 1899, the most frequently encountered species, was collected on three of the four derelict substrates.
Eight of the species are known to be amphi-Pacific in distribution. Of the rest, at least five (Stylactaria sp.; Eutima japonica
Uchida, 1925; Orthopyxis platycarpa Bale, 1914; Sertularella sp.; Plumularia sp.) are not previously known from the west
coast of North America. Hydroids of E. japonica occurred as commensals in the mantle cavity of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
Lamarck, 1819. Obelia griffini, O. gracilis Calkins, 1899 (not its secondary homonym Laomedea gracilis Dana, 1846) and
O. surcularis Calkins, 1899 are taken to be conspecific. Of the three simultaneous synonyms, precedence is assigned to the name
O. griffini under the Principle of the First Reviser in zoological nomenclature. The species is sometimes regarded as identical with
O. dichotoma (Linnaeus, 1758).
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Brianna M. Tracy and Nathalie B. Reyns
Spatial and temporal patterns of native and invasive ascidian assemblages in a Southern California embayment
(pp 441-455)
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Community development of ascidians was monitored weekly in Mission Bay (San Diego, California, USA) from September 2011 through November 2012 to assess how ascidian
communities might be structured by spatial differences in environmental conditions. We repeatedly photographed PVC plates that were deployed on floating docks at four
sampling locations: Seaforth Landing, Mission Bay Yacht Club, South Shores, and Hilton. Environmental variables (temperature, salinity, visibility, flow and dissolved
oxygen) were measured during each sampling period. Eleven of the fifteen ascidian species observed on plates were invasive, three were native, and one was cryptogenic.
Ascidian community composition varied significantly by time and sampling location within Mission Bay. Spatial differences in community dissimilarity were correlated
to visibility, salinity, and temperature. Ascidian communities established in the warm, hypersaline waters furthest from the mouth of Mission Bay were typically most
different from those near the mouth. Comparisons of % dissimilarity at the beginning and end of sampling indicated that ascidian communities were more dissimilar
at the end of sampling. Ascidians persisted year round, and invasive and cryptogenic species were generally more abundant in winter months than native species.
Below average rainfall, and the consequent relatively warm sea surface temperature and high salinity in a relatively mild climate region like San Diego, probably
prevented the winter ascidian die-offs that typically occur in this area. Such environmental changes may be advantageous to invasive ascidians, not only with regard
to mediating their persistence, but also in terms of facilitating the establishment, spread, and dominance of future invaders.
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María Soledad López, Helena Passeri Lavrado and Ricardo Coutinho
Structure of intertidal sessile communities before and after the invasion of Isognomon bicolor (C.B. Adams, 1845) (Bivalvia, Isognomonidae) in southeastern Brazil
(pp 457-465)
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Scientists recognize the importance of ecological data prior to invasion by non-native species in order to evaluate changes in the recipient community.
Here we assess the potential impact of the invasion of the bivalve Isognomon bicolor (C.B. Adams, 1845) on Brazilian rocky shores through
the use of surveys both before and after the arrival of this non–native species. The invader was mostly distributed across the mid and low shore
levels of the intertidal zone with relative abundance ranging from 9.0 to 36.7 percent cover. The mid shore, previously dominated by the native
barnacle Tetraclita stalactifera (Lamarck, 1818), was co-dominated by this barnacle species and I. bicolor after invasion. The relative
abundance of these species, and presumably the interaction strength between them, differed between sites. At the site where I. bicolor reached
the highest abundance (around 30% on average), the abundance of T. stalactifera decreased on average 70% compared to baseline values obtained
before the I. bicolor invasion. Finally, conspicuous and extensive I. bicolor beds such as those observed in this study have not been
reported in its original distribution range. Beds of I. bicolor may create a much more intricate biogenic matrix than the extents of bare rock
and barnacle clumps it replaced. This bivalve may act as an ecosystem engineer and, thus a functionally different component of the intertidal community
in its invaded range compared to its native distribution.
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Fernando Gaspar Dellatorre, Ricardo Amoroso, José Saravia and J. M. (Lobo) Orensanz
Rapid expansion and potential range of the invasive kelp Undaria pinnatifida in the Southwest Atlantic
(pp 467-478)
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Coastal Patagonia, often regarded as a pristine area of the world, has been invaded by non-indigenous species that are rapidly modifying local ecosystems.
One of the most conspicuous invaders is the kelp Undaria pinnatifida. First recorded near the city of Puerto Madryn (Argentina, 42.75°S) in 1992,
Undaria’s range has expanded more than five degrees of latitude to the south during the last 15 years. By 2007 it was first detected north of Valdés Peninsula
(a natural barrier to dispersal), beginning its northward expansion, and between 2007 and 2011 spread along the coasts of San José and San Matías gulfs at an average
rate of ~50 km yr-1. A small population was detected in Mar del Plata (Argentina, 38.04°S) in 2011, more than three degrees of latitude to the north, suggesting
a new human-mediated inoculation. A thermal tolerance window is hypothesized based on experimental information and remotely sensed sea-surface temperature (SST)
at the latitudinal range limits of U. pinnatifida populations worldwide. The window is defined by average SSTs ranging between -0.6 °C and 16.8 °C in
the coldest month, and between 13°C and 28°C in the warmest month. Using climatologic satellite SST from several locations, a potential latitudinal thermal range
extending between Puerto Deseado (Argentina, 47.75°S) and Cape Torres (Brazil; 29.35°S) is predicted. Salinity and substrate quality however constrain suitable
habitat in the Southwest Atlantic to discrete stretches of coastline, suggesting that the northern potential boundary would be around La Coronilla (33.90°S),
on the Uruguayan coast.
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Keiji Iwasaki and Hanako Yamamoto
Recruitment and population structure of the non-indigenous brackish-water mytilid Xenostrobus securis (Lamark, 1819) in the Kino River, Japan
(pp 479-487)
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The recruitment and population structure of the non-indigenous brackish water mytilid Xenostrobus securis (Lamark, 1819), native to Australasia,
were studied in the lower reaches of the Kino River, central Japan. Post-larvae > 2 mm in shell length were found exclusively among barnacle stands of
Fistulobalanus kondakovi (Tarasov and Zevina, 1957) and algal fronds of Gloiopeltis tenax (Turner) Decaisone, 1842 from January to May
and from July to October. Density of the post-larvae was much greater in the latter period than in the former. Small mussels with shell lengths of 2–4 mm
settled to the conspecific mussel beds in April and September. Primary and secondary settlements onto different substrates were observed in the early stages
of the life cycle. Two or three cohorts were identified in conspecific mussel beds, and they grew at a rate of ca. 1 mm per month. Density in the beds fluctuated
monthly and was greater in the lower than in the middle intertidal zone, suggesting greater spatial heterogeneity in density due to predation in the former.
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Meike Koester and René Gergs
No evidence for intraguild predation of Dikerogammarus villosus (Sowinsky, 1894) at an invasion front in the Untere Lorze, Switzerland
(pp 489-497)
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The establishment of non-indigenous aquatic invertebrates may strongly affect community and food web structures in invaded systems.
The invasion of the Ponto-Caspian amphipod Dikerogammarus villosus in European waterways, has led to the displacement of other
macroinvertebrates, especially other amphipod species. The key factor for the decline of both native and invasive amphipods is assumed
to be strong intraguild predation (IGP) by D. villosus, as observed in laboratory studies. However, the importance of IGP under
field conditions is nearly unknown. Here, we investigated the trophic annidation of the invasive D. villosus in a benthic food web
in one season in 2011, focusing especially on the relevance of IGP at an invasion front in Switzerland. We combined stable isotope analyses
with molecular analyses of D. villosus´ gut content using a group-specific primer for gammarid amphipods. Analyses of the standard
ellipse area showed a strong overlap of the isotopic niches of the amphipod taxa. Niche width analysed by Stable Isotope Bayesian Ellipses
in R (SIBER) revealed no significant differences between D. villosus and the native gammarid species. Furthermore, we did not detect
DNA of native gammarid species in any of the 62 analysed gut contents of D. villosus as direct evidence for predation. However, diet
of amphipods may vary over the year and we cannot exclude completely the hypothesis that D. villosus does predate upon native gammarids.
Nevertheless our results indicated that IGP is not the key factor in the displacement of native amphipods and does not seem to play an important
role in invasion of the investigated Swiss water body. Hence, factors other than IGP seem to be the driving forces for the observed displacement
of native amphipods.
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Marilyn Kalaus and Henn Ojaveer
Over one decade of invasion: the non-indigenous cladoceran Evadne anonyx G.O. Sars, 1897 in a low-salinity environment
(pp 499-506)
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Invasive species are often in focus in the non-indigenous species (NIS) research while low-abundance species receive relatively little attention.
However, tracking NIS dynamics since the early stages of an invasion provides valuable information on the ecology of invasions. In the current paper,
we investigated the invasion history and population dynamics of the small-bodied cladoceran Evadne anonyx G. O. Sars, 1897 in the Gulf of Riga
(Baltic Sea) almost since its first detection in 2000. The species already was widespread the Gulf of Riga in 2001 and has been found in nearly every
subsequent sample collected during summer months. However, the abundance of the species remained low, seldom 100 individuals m-3. Both, salinity and
water temperature affected the spatial distribution and population abundance of E. anonyx. The species was found to occur only sporadically
at salinities below ca. 6. To obtain reliable presence/absence and density estimates on this small-bodied cladoceran, the entire zooplankton sample
needed to be analysed.
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Vivian Montecino, Ximena Molina, Sunil Kumar, María L.C. Castillo and Ramiro O. Bustamante
Niche dynamics and potential geographic distribution of Didymosphenia geminata (Lyngbye) M. Schmidt, an invasive freshwater diatom in Southern Chile
(pp 507-519)
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Aquatic invasive species are a major threat to native freshwater ecosystems and cause enormous ecological and economic damage worldwide.
Didymosphenia geminata (Lyngbye) M. Schmidt is an emerging invasive aquatic species that is spreading aggressively in Southern South America.
Using niche analysis and species distribution models (SDMs), we examined niche requirements of D. geminata using climatic, topographic, and biological
variables. We compared the realized niche of the species in the United States (US) with the niche in Chile. Within Chile, we also examined the environmental
conditions (environmental envelopes) of rivers with and without this alga, to assess whether this species has the potential to colonize more rivers. Finally,
we compared the SDMs from the US and Chile projected to Chile. Results showed that the potential distribution of D. geminata varied significantly
between US and Chile. The US-based model predicted a geographic distribution in Chile which ranged from 32º to 55º S latitude while the Chile-based model
predicted suitable habitats only from 36° to 48º S, and not so in the coastal ranges nor in Southern Patagonia (52–55°S). In Chile, we found no differences
in the environmental envelopes of the invaded and uninvaded rivers, thus suggesting that this species has even more suitable habitats to invade. These results
can be used for prioritizing survey sites in Southern Chile for an early detection and management of D. geminata and for the conservation
of native flora and fauna in freshwater ecosystems in Chile.
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Heloísa B.A. Evangelista, Sidinei Magela Thomaz and Cristiane Akemi Umetsu
An analysis of publications on invasive macrophytes in aquatic ecosystems
(pp 521-528)
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In this study, we performed a scientometric analysis of published scientific papers on the biological invasion of macrophytes in freshwater ecosystems
to assess the main trends and gaps in research concerning this group of organisms. The analysis showed that publications on invasive macrophytes increased
exponentially in the last decade. However, the activity index (a comparison of the quantitative trends of invasive macrophytes in relation to all of the papers
on macrophytes) indicated that invasive macrophytes have not been consistently studied more than other topics in the field of limnology over the last decade.
The most studied macrophyte species were Myriophyllum spicatum, Hydrilla verticillata, Phragmites australis and Eichhornia crassipes.
Certain gaps were related to the limited number of studies on the important species threatening tropical ecosystems, under-representation of investigations
on the impacts of invasive macrophytes on fish and lack of studies associating macrophytes with microorganisms (bacteria and fungi). Studies that encompassed
several levels of biological complexity were also scarce, indicating that the studies were fragmented at specific levels. Finally, there was a clear geographical bias,
with fewer studies occurring in Neotropical and Afrotropical regions. Identification of these gaps may be useful for addressing future studies that might help evaluate
the causes of invasion by macrophytes and the impacts of such invasions on freshwater ecosystems.
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David C. Aldridge, Samantha Ho and Elsa Froufe
The Ponto-Caspian quagga mussel, Dreissena rostriformis bugensis (Andrusov, 1897), invades Great Britain
(pp 529-535)
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Great Britain has been subject to an increasing rate of invasion from freshwater species of Ponto-Caspian origin. A recent horizon-scan of potential invaders
into Great Britain named the Ponto Caspian quagga mussel, Dreissena rostriformis bugensis (Andrusov, 1897), as the non-native species least wanted.
On 29th September 2014 quagga mussels were discovered in the Wraysbury River, Surrey, during a routine kick sample collected by the Environment Agency.
Identity was confirmed using genetic markers (Cytochrome Oxidase I - COI) on five individuals encompassing a broad morphological variation. The absence
of very large individuals (max. length 16 mm), absence of shells and absence of quagga mussels in samples collected during March 2014 point toward a recent invasion.
The quagga mussels were found attached to submerged rocks, vegetation, bridge walls and shells of zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771).
The collection site is a small (<5m wide), shallow (<50cm deep) stream that is not navigable or regularly fished. This suggests that the species is more widely
distributed than the current location, because such a system is unlikely to be the point of introduction. The shallow depth (30cm) in open water at which quagga
mussels were abundant is surprising given that zebra mussels have failed to establish in such habitats, despite being present in the catchment for over 100 years.
Previously published models predict quagga mussels will establish widely across England, western and southern Wales and central Scotland. The high abundance
and inter-connectivity of waterways adjacent to the Wraysbury River suggest further spread is likely. Containment through national biosecurity measures
(e.g. ‘Check, Clean, Dry’ of boats and equipment, as promoted by the UK Environment Agency) is recommended, although ultimately it can be assumed that quagga mussels
will cause similar widespread ecological and economic harm in Britain as has been experienced in invaded regions of Western Europe and North America.
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