Distribution of the invasive calanoid copepod Pseudodiaptomus marinus (Sato, 1913) in the Belgian part of the North Sea

Yana Deschutter,Gabriela Vergara,Klaas Deneudt,Marleen De Troch,Jonas Mortelmans,Karel De Schamphelaere

doi:10.3391/bir.2018.7.1.05

Yana Deschutter, Gabriela Vergara + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.2018.7.1.05

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Journal: BioInvasions Records	Publication Date: Jan 1, 2018
Citations: 18	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: Ghent University

Abstract

The population structure of the non-indigenous calanoid copepod Pseudodiaptomus marinus (Sato, 1913) in the Belgian part of the North Sea (BPNS) is reported for the first time. Detailed P. marinus abundance data including sex and age class of the individuals was gathered on a monthly basis from February 2015 to February 2016 at six sites within the BPNS and Belgian harbors. Relevant environmental variables were analysed to identify potential drivers explaining the population structure of P. marinus within the BPNS. The abundances found were unexpectedly high, with peak densities of up to 560 +/- 163 ind.m(-3). Even though P. marinus was found in all stations sampled, large spatial and temporal differences were found in the abundance of this species. P. marinus population structure was best explained by water temperature and chlorophyll a concentrations, while salinity and concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen did not influence the distribution. The reported high abundances of the species, especially in the harbor of Zeebrugge, together with the high relative abundances of copepodites indicate that the species is able to reproduce within the BPNS and Belgian harbors, possibly leading to an established, permanent population. It is crucial to study the distribution of this species for a longer period in order to determine the possible establishment of this species in the BPNS and consequences for local planktonic populations.

Highlights

Maritime transport across the oceans is leading to the spread and establishment of an ever increasing number of alien species in coastal and brackish environments (Reise et al 1999; Sabia et al 2015)
The reported high abundances of the species, especially in the harbor of Zeebrugge, together with the high relative abundances of copepodites indicate that the species is able to reproduce within the Belgian part of the North Sea (BPNS) and Belgian harbors, possibly leading to an established, permanent population
This paper reports for the first time the occurrence and population structure of the non-indigenous calanoid copepod P. marinus in the Belgian part of the North Sea (BPNS)

Summary

Introduction

Maritime transport across the oceans is leading to the spread and establishment of an ever increasing number of alien species in coastal and brackish environments (Reise et al 1999; Sabia et al 2015). Ballast water is a major vector of non-native planktonic species dispersion on a global scale (Williamson 1996; Gray et al 2007). Some of these species manage to establish permanent populations in different environments away from their indigenous range as well as to expand their distribution through colonization or migration. In Europe, this species has been recorded in the Adriatic Sea (De Olazabal and Tirelli 2011; Lučić et al 2015), the French coast (Brylinski et al 2012), the German Bight (Jha et al 2013), the Netherlands (Rijkswaterstaat 2017; Jha et al 2013) and the Iberian Peninsula (Albaina et al 2016)

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