Socioecological Resilience: Quantitative Assessment of the Impact of an Invasive Species Assemblage on a Lake Ecosystem

Abstract

An invasive assemblage refers to a group of invasive species that coexist and interact within an ecosystem, significantly altering its dynamics, biodiversity, functions, and ecosystem services. Their presence in lakes can severely affect these ecosystems. The objective of this article is to present an assessment using indexes of socioecological resilience to the impact of an assemblage of two invasive species (P. clarkii and E. crassipes) in a lake ecosystem, the Fúquene Lagoon in Colombia. Socioecological resilience indexes (rating scale: 0.0–100%) are developed based on community perception within the area of influence of the lake ecosystem under study. Indexes are developed for each dimension of analysis (ecological, social, and economic) and include a global resilience index. Community perception is obtained through a survey according to the dimensions of analysis. The results of the comprehensive assessment using the developed indexes suggest significant vulnerability of the ecological (index = 37.7%) and social (index = 40.9%) resilience of the lake ecosystem to the invasive species assemblage. The low-risk perception and limited implementation of preventive measures accentuate this fragility. Although the economic dimension shows greater robustness (index = 56.9%), it is imperative to strengthen the adaptive capacity of the socioecological system to mitigate the adverse impacts of biological invasions and ensure the sustainability of the ecosystem (global resilience index = 45%). Assessing lake ecosystems’ recovery from invasive species requires a multidimensional approach, focusing on ecological, economic, and social factors to develop integrated management strategies for resilience and sustainability.