Current status of the DNA barcode reference library of non-indigenous marine species occurring in European coastal regions

Sofia Duarte,Pedro Vieira,Filipe Costa

doi:10.3389/conf.fmars.2019.08.00169

Abstract

FCT – Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, I.P., in the scope of the project PTDC/BIA-BMA/29754/2017

Highlights

Along with global climate change, overexploitation, pollution and habitat destruction; the spread of invasive species is among the major threats to coastal ecosystems (Rilov 2009)
While morphologybased identification of taxa has largely contributed to appreciate the current status of NIS occurrence in coastal regions and marine environments (e.g. Chainho et al. 2015), this process is expertise-demanding, laborious and time consuming
Due to the abovementioned reasons, it becomes a priority to develop and optimize novel detection methods capable to overcome some of these challenges and that would allow an early detection and ease the monitoring of NIS in coastal ecosystems

Summary

Introduction

Coastal habitats are among the most important, and the most threatened ecosystems in the world, which may pose at risk many important services for human well-being (Solan et al 2004). Along with global climate change, overexploitation, pollution and habitat destruction; the spread of invasive species is among the major threats to coastal ecosystems (Rilov 2009). Nonindigenous species (NIS), which can establish in areas outside their natural range and become invasive, can spread rapidly across the natural environment and displace and out-compete native species, driving to severe ecological changes that threaten ecosystem integrity (Rilov 2009).

Results

Conclusion