Listening with the invasive fish ear: applications and innovations of otolith chemistry analysis in invasive fish biology

Abstract

Acquisition of biological information on invasive fishes during the early stages of invasion could be critical in orienting subsequent management strategies. To achieve such a task, biological invasion researchers and practitioners take advantage of numerous technologies (e.g. genomics and acoustic telemetry). Surprisingly, the study of invasive fish ecology by analysis of the chemical composition of calcium carbonate hard parts (e.g. otoliths and scales) remains underutilized, despite some convincing examples of successful applications in the scientific literature. Among its most common applications in invasion biology, otolith chemistry has been used to identify natal origins, reconstruct migratory behaviour and assess mixed-stock structure. In this literature review, we provide a general overview of those previous applications but more importantly identify some gaps and obstacles to applications of otolith chemistry in invasion biology and suggest development for innovative applications, including use in wildlife forensic sciences and reconstruction of the early dynamics of invasions.