Spread of Ponto-Caspian Macro-Invertebrates along the European Invasion Corridors: Preconditions, Consequences, Prospects

Abstract

The preconditions, consequences and prospects of the Ponto-Caspian macroinvertebrates spread along the European invasive corridors westward and northward to Europe and North America are analyzed. During the XIX-XX century, the Ponto-Caspian invertebrates actively invaded the water bodies of the Western Europe via the Central (Dnieper) corridor. The appearance of species of the families Dreissenidae, Gammaridae, Corophiidae in the inland waters of North America is associated with the long-term functioning of the Southern "Ponto-American" invasion corridor.