Introduction Of Non-indigenous Species Research Articles

Marine dinoflagellate cysts in the ballast tank sediments of ships entering the Laurentian Great Lakes

(2009). Marine dinoflagellate cysts in the ballast tank sediments of ships entering the Laurentian Great Lakes. SIL Proceedings, 1922-2010: Vol. 30, No. 7, pp. 1035-1038.

Changes in the sub-Antarctic in the modern era of science and environmental consciousness

This paper defines the modern era of science and environmental consciousness both in a global sense and, more specifically, when applied to the sub-Antarctic archipelagos.It briefly describes some key changes occurring in the sub-Antarctic terrestrial biome including climate change and the introduction of non-indigenous species.

The continuing spread ofPacifastacus leniusculusin Carinthia (Austria)

Crayfish plague and introductions of non-indigenous freshwater crayfish species (NICS) have had major consequences for the survival of autochthonous crayfish populations in Europe. Beside habitat loss, the invasive signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus is currently responsible for the decline of indigenous crayfish species (ICS) in Carinthia (Austria). Here, we studied the distribution of P. leniusculus and native Astacus astacus and Austropotamobius torrentium in selected catchments to assess the ongoing colonisation with signal crayfish and to monitor the existence of ICS localities. Our results showed that P. leniusculus is widespread in Carinthia and many areas with native crayfish have disappeared within nine years. However, whereas populations of A. astacus became extinct in running waters, those of A. torrentium seemed to be more protected by occupying headwaters. In contrast to the ICS, P. leniusculus was found in a broad range of freshwater habitats and water quality conditions. We hypothesise that the fast expansion of P. leniusculus and the decline of ICS was caused by human-mediated stockings of NICS, followed by active signal crayfish invasions from established populations into new watercourses.

Review of fish diversity in the Lake Huron basin

Lake Huron has a rich aquatic habitat diversity that includes shallow embayments, numerous tributaries, shallow mid-lake reef complexes, archipelagos, and profundal regions. These habitats provide support for warm, cool, and cold water fish communities. Diversity of fishes in Lake Huron reflects post-glaciation colonization events, current climate conditions, accidental and intentional introductions of non-indigenous species, and extinctions. Most extinction events have been largely associated with habitat alterations, exploitation of fisheries, and interactions with non-indigenous species. The most recent historical survey of extirpated and imperiled species conducted in the late 1970s identified 79 fish species in Lake Huron proper and about 50 additional species in tributaries. Of those 129 species, 20 are now considered extirpated or imperiled. Extirpated species include Arctic grayling, paddlefish, weed shiner, deepwater cisco, blackfin cisco, shortnose cisco, and kiyi. Six species have declined appreciably due to loss of clear-water stream habitat: the river redhorse, river darter, black redhorse, pugnose shiner, lake chubsucker, redside dace, eastern sand darter, and channel darter. While numerous agencies, universities, and other organizations routinely monitor nearshore and offshore fish distribution and abundance, there is a need for more rigorous examination of the distribution and abundance of less-common species to better understand their ecology. This information is critical to the development of management plans aimed at ecosystem remediation and restoration.

Amphibian Commerce as a Likely Source of Pathogen Pollution

The commercial trade of wildlife occurs on a global scale. In addition to removing animals from their native populations, this trade may lead to the release and subsequent introduction of nonindigenous species and the pathogens they carry. Emerging infectious diseases, such as chytridiomycosis caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), and ranaviral disease have spread with global trade in amphibians and are linked to amphibian declines and die-offs worldwide, which suggests that the commercial trade in amphibians may be a source of pathogen pollution. We screened tiger salamanders involved in the bait trade in the western United States for both ranaviruses and Bd with polymerase chain reaction and used oral reports from bait shops and ranavirus DNA sequences from infected bait salamanders to determine how these animals and their pathogens are moved geographically by commerce. In addition, we conducted 2 surveys of anglers to determine how often tiger salamanders are used as bait and how often they are released into fishing waters by anglers, and organized bait-shop surveys to determine whether tiger salamanders are released back into the wild after being housed in bait shops. Ranaviruses were detected in the tiger salamander bait trade in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, and Bd was detected in Arizona bait shops. Ranaviruses were spread geographically through the bait trade. All tiger salamanders in the bait trade were collected from the wild, and in general they moved east to west and north to south, bringing with them their multiple ranavirus strains. Finally, 26-73% of anglers used tiger salamanders as fishing bait, 26-67% of anglers released tiger salamanders bought as bait into fishing waters, and 4% of bait shops released tiger salamanders back into the wild after they were housed in shops with infected animals. The tiger salamander bait trade in the western United States is a useful model for understanding the consequences of the unregulated anthropogenic movement of amphibians and their pathogens through trade.

Minho River tidal freshwater wetlands: threats to faunal biodiversity

AB Aquatic Biology Contact the journal Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections AB 3:237-250 (2008) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/ab00077 Minho River tidal freshwater wetlands: threats to faunal biodiversity Ronaldo Sousa1,2,*, Sérgia Costa Dias1,2, Lúcia Guilhermino1,2, Carlos Antunes1,3 1CIMAR/CIIMAR—Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal 2ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Lg. Prof. Abel Salazar 2, 4099-003 Porto, Portugal 3Aquamuseu do Rio Minho, Parque do Castelinho, 4920-290 Vila Nova de Cerveira, Portugal *Email: ronaldo.sousa@ciimar.up.pt ABSTRACT: Tidal freshwater wetlands (TFWs) support a characteristic type of community and perform fundamental environmental and ecological functions, however, studies conducted in this type of habitat are scarce and very fragmented. In the present paper, an overview of the TFW diversity and conservation state in the Minho River is provided, including temporal comparisons documenting indigenous fish and macrozoobenthos (principally mollusc) declines and information about the introduction of non-indigenous invasive species. We also discuss how this study can be exemplary of the actual ecological and conservational conditions of TFWs and the alarming present rates of indigenous biodiversity losses. Other TFW areas with comparable characteristics are probably under similar pressure and should therefore also be considered for conservation purposes. Better management of the flow regime, prohibition of construction near the margins, definition of more restricted areas for fishing, prohibition of some fisheries activities in defined periods of the year, enforcement of inspection, an increase in education and information for fishermen and local populations, and restoration of degraded habitats are some practical measures that should be implemented to mitigate this situation. KEY WORDS: Tidal freshwater wetlands · Minho River estuary · Biodiversity · Conservation · Non-indigenous invasive species Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Sousa R, Dias SC, Guilhermino L, Antunes C (2008) Minho River tidal freshwater wetlands: threats to faunal biodiversity. Aquat Biol 3:237-250. https://doi.org/10.3354/ab00077 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in AB Vol. 3, No. 3. Online publication date: August 26, 2008 Print ISSN: 1864-7782; Online ISSN: 1864-7790 Copyright © 2008 Inter-Research.

Spider responses to alien plant invasion: the effect of short‐ and long‐term Chromolaena odorata invasion and management

1 Invasions by alien plants into unspoiled ecosystems are a cause for concern because the pristine systems are important stores of biodiversity. Indeed, the introduction of non-indigenous species into protected areas is a direct threat to conservation. Consequently, it is fundamental to document the impact that alien invasive plants have on native communities and to determine if, and at what rate, native communities re-establish following the removal of invasives. 2 Chromolaena odorata is one of the most important invader species in the savanna biome in South Africa. It reduces vegetation heterogeneity in grasslands, savannas and forests. 3 Spiders, as ecological indicators for change, were used to investigate the impact of (i) C. odorata invasions, (ii) C. odorata invasion durations, and (iii) the impact of clearing C. odorata on abundance, assemblage patterns, diversity and estimated species richness of spiders. 4 The progressive invasion of C. odorata with increasing invasion duration brings with it changes in native spider abundance, assemblage patterns, diversity and estimated species richness. Native spider assemblages do re-establish after clearing C. odorata without further management intervention. Small lingering differences are observed between the native and the cleared sites, suggesting that other features of the habitat may have been affected by the invasion and clearing. 5 Synthesis and applications. Alien clearance is an essential and invaluable management tool. There are a substantial number of programmes that aim to control alien invasive plants but very little is known about the way in which biodiversity recovers after alien plant removal. Our data show that the removal of alien invasive plants benefits biodiversity with immediate effects, highlighting that management should be carried out to control this invasive, even if the area has been invaded for a long period of time. These data are important for policy-forming and informing policy-makers that alien invasion and removal are critical for biodiversity conservation management.

First record of the Indo-Pacific species Electroma vexillum (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Pterioida) in the eastern Mediterranean

Iskenderun Bay (north-west Levantine Sea) is intensely industrialized but it is oil pollution that affects most of the coastal and marine ecosystems in the area. Molluscan species diversity in the bay is changing rapidly over the last decades due to the introduction of non-indigenous species of Indo-Pacific origin. To date, 67 of the 181 recorded molluscan species are aliens (37%), a percentage by far higher than anywhere reported. A population of the bivalve Electroma vexillum, whose original distribution is the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, was encountered and recorded for the first time in 2002 in the discharge canals of the Iskenderun Iron and Steel Factory. The distribution of E. vexillum was very restricted in the canal, presumably limited by the temperature (23–36°C). Its occurrence is attributed to shipping.

Integrating drivers influencing the detection of plant pests carried in the international cut flower trade

This paper analyses the cut flower market as an example of an invasion pathway along which species of non-indigenous plant pests can travel to reach new areas. The paper examines the probability of pest detection by assessing information on pest detection and detection effort associated with the import of cut flowers. We test the link between the probability of plant pest arrivals, as a precursor to potential invasion, and volume of traded flowers using count data regression models. The analysis is applied to the UK import of specific genera of cut flowers from Kenya between 1996 and 2004. There is a link between pest detection and the Genus of cut flower imported. Hence, pest detection efforts should focus on identifying and targeting those imported plants with a high risk of carrying pest species. For most of the plants studied, efforts allocated to inspection have a significant influence on the probability of pest detection. However, by better targeting inspection efforts, it is shown that plant inspection effort could be reduced without increasing the risk of pest entry. Similarly, for most of the plants analysed, an increase in volume traded will not necessarily lead to an increase in the number of pests entering the UK. For some species, such as Carthamus and Veronica, the volume of flowers traded has a significant and positive impact on the likelihood of pest detection. We conclude that analysis at the rank of plant Genus is important both to understand the effectiveness of plant pest detection efforts and consequently to manage the risk of introduction of non-indigenous species.

An Intelligent Simulation Model for Design and Costing of High Temperature Ballast Water Treatment Systems

The ecosystem and economic damage caused by the introduction of nonindigenous marine species through the medium of ballast water has led to much research into onboard ballast water treatment systems. These treatment systems must be capable of meeting the new IMO standards while having a minimal effect both on the environment and on the operational cost and safety of the vessel. One promising solution to the problem appears to be thermal treatment of ballast water, although low-temperature treatment systems have some limitations, notably the long treatment time required. High-temperature ballast water treatment at discharge using a two-stage heat exchanger has been successfully demonstrated at laboratory and pilot scale. An intelligent simulation model is presented that may be used as a design tool to estimate capital and operational costs of a high-temperature treatment system. A study of the economic impact of such a treatment system on a range of bulk carriers has been carried out, and the results are presented.

EVALUATING AN INVASIVE SPECIES POLICY: BALLAST WATER EXCHANGE IN THE GREAT LAKES

Improvements in environmental policy require an accurate diagnosis of the shortcomings of existing policy. We develop a model for assessing the efficacy of policy instruments aimed at reducing the introduction of nonindigenous species. The model identifies and accounts for several features of the nonindigenous species introduction-detection process that complicate interpretations of monitoring data. Specifically, the model includes explicit attention to the pathway of introduction, a probabilistic description of species detection, and the possibility of attenuation of species introductions over time. We apply this theoretical model to the case of mid-ocean ballast water exchange, which was implemented by the United States in 1990 for the North American Great Lakes. Contrary to other authors who take the recent increase in discoveries of nonindigeneous species (NIS) in the Great Lakes as evidence that ballast water exchange is ineffective, we find that the observed detection record could just as plausibly be explained by a lag of a few years between introduction and detection, even if ballast water exchange was 100% effective. Model results suggest that, under current monitoring regimes, several more years of data would be required to make a conclusive evaluation of ballast water exchange. Better estimation of the lag time between introduction and detection, and a shortening of that lag time with better monitoring, would allow more precise and timely evaluation of the efficacy of ballast water exchange and other policy instruments.

Experimental assessment of oyster transfers as a vector for macroalgal introductions

Introduction of non-indigenous species can alter marine communities and ecosystems. In shellfish farming, transfer of livestock, especially oysters, is a common practice and potentially constitutes a pathway for non-indigenous introductions. Many species of seaweeds are believed to have been accidentally introduced in association with these transfers, but there is little direct evidence. We experimentally simulated the transfer of oysters from the Thau Lagoon (France). These transfers involved increasing periods of aerial emersion and additional brine and hot water treatments. The brine and hot water treatments were evaluated as a means of reducing the probability of algal introductions with oyster transfers. Shells were cultured for 40 days in experimental tanks to identify the macroalgae likely to be introduced with any oyster transfer. A total of 57 macroalgal taxa, including 16 taxa not indigenous to the Thau Lagoon, were recorded across all treatments and experiments. The abundance of some species increased in several cases following aerial emersion. Elimination treatments (immersion in brine or hot water) significantly reduced algal diversity, with hot water treatments resulting in no species or only tubular Ulva spp. present. The results support the hypothesis that oyster transfers are effective as primary and secondary vectors of macroalgal introductions. Relatively simple changes to the transfer practice (particularly hot water treatments) are suggested as a means of reducing the risk of non-indigenous algal introductions.

Design of a high-temperature thermal ballast water treatment system

The introduction of non-indigenous marine species to foreign environments through the medium of ballast water has led to a research focus on the design of onboard ballast water treatment systems. Such systems must be capable of meeting new International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards while also having minimal effect on the environment and on the operational costs and safety of the vessel. Thermal treatment of ballast water appears to be a promising solution, although the application of low-temperature treatment methods may be limited by the time required for the process. A thermodynamic model is presented for a two-stage heat exchanger system to be used for high-temperature treatment of ballast water during discharge. The model may be used for estimation of ballast water treatment requirements during the design phase for a vessel. It was also used to size a pilot-scale, high-temperature treatment system that has been tested onboard ship with regard to the biological effectiveness of the treatment method.

Global change and marine communities: Alien species and climate change

Anthropogenic influences on the biosphere since the advent of the industrial age are increasingly causing global changes. Climatic change and the rising concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are ranking high in scientific and public agendas, and other components of global change are also frequently addressed, among which are the introductions of non indigenous species (NIS) in biogeographic regions well separated from the donor region, often followed by spectacular invasions. In the marine environment, both climatic change and spread of alien species have been studied extensively; this review is aimed at examining the main responses of ecosystems to climatic change, taking into account the increasing importance of biological invasions. Some general principles on NIS introductions in the marine environment are recalled, such as the importance of propagule pressure and of development stages during the time course of an invasion. Climatic change is known to affect many ecological properties; it interacts also with NIS in many possible ways. Direct (proximate) effects on individuals and populations of altered physical–chemical conditions are distinguished from indirect effects on emergent properties (species distribution, diversity, and production). Climatically driven changes may affect both local dispersal mechanisms, due to the alteration of current patterns, and competitive interactions between NIS and native species, due to the onset of new thermal optima and/or different carbonate chemistry. As well as latitudinal range expansions of species correlated with changing temperature conditions, and effects on species richness and the correlated extinction of native species, some invasions may provoke multiple effects which involve overall ecosystem functioning (material flow between trophic groups, primary production, relative extent of organic material decomposition, extent of benthic-pelagic coupling). Some examples are given, including a special mention of the situation of the Mediterranean Sea, where so many species have been introduced recently, and where some have spread in very large quantities. An increasing effort by marine scientists is required, not only to monitor the state of the environment, but also to help predicting future changes and finding ways to mitigate or manage them.

Introduced marine organisms as habitat modifiers

Introductions of non-indigenous species (NIS) are mostly discussed through their impact on biodiversity. However, NIS can also act as ecosystem engineers, influencing the habitat itself, positively or negatively, directly or indirectly, which should be included when making risk assessments. Special concern should be given to changes in ecological services provided by the ecosystem. Physically, NIS may affect the substrate itself, or alter habitat architecture, indirectly influencing water movements, sediment accumulation, and light conditions. Chemical changes brought upon by NIS occur both on small and large scales, some having positive effects on ecosystem services, others can perturb epibionts. Furthermore, NIS may negatively affect natural resources, aquaculture or create fouling communities, all resulting in a negative impact on economics. However, if removed, already established NIS can be used as bioremediators, having a positive effect on different ecosystems. Using NIS for habitat management may be economically profitable, but could affect the habitat adversely.

Influences on and origins of terrestrial biodiversity of the sub-Antarctic islands

The is a region of the planet characterised by small and extremely isolated island landmasses set in the vastness and harsh conditions of the Southern Ocean. Although there is no universally applicable definition of the sub-Antarctic, based on eeo-climatic criteria (temperature and the presence/absence of trees or woody shrubs) a useful terrestrial biogeographic region can be defined that includes only those islands which lie close to the oceanic Antarctic Polar Frontal Zone (PFZ). These range between roughly 4rS and 54°S and include South Georgia in the South Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean, Marion and Prince Edward islands, lies Kerguelen and Crozet, and Heard and McDonald islands in the Indian Ocean sector, and Macquarie Island in the Pacific Ocean sector. These islands have widely differing origins and geological histories. This paper provides an overview of their biodiversity and of the major patterns in biogeography. The majority of islands are of relatively recent origin, and there are only very limited indications of a more ancient biogeographical history (Gondwana-breakup timescale) to be found in the contemporary biota. Amongst the sub-Antarctic biota, there are examples supporting two general hypotheses relating to their origin: the Insulantarctic and the multi regional scenarios. Sub-Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems, which are of biodiversity and conservation significance globally, are under considerable eontemporary pressure through the twin influences of possible anthropogenic climate change, and the introduction and establishment of invasive non-indigenous species.

Predicting habitat use and trophic interactions of Eurasian ruffe, round gobies, and zebra mussels in nearshore areas of the Great Lakes

The Laurentian Great Lakes have been subject to numerous introductions of nonindigenous species, including two recent benthic fish invaders, Eurasian ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus) and round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus), as well as the benthic bivalve, zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). These three exotic species, or “exotic triad,” may impact nearshore benthic communities due to their locally high abundances and expanding distributions. Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine (1) whether ruffe and gobies may compete for habitat and invertebrate food in benthic environments, and (2) if zebra mussels can alter those competitive relationships by serving as an alternate food source for gobies. In laboratory mesocosms, both gobies and ruffe preferred cobble and macrophyte areas to open sand either when alone or in sympatry. In a 9-week goby–ruffe competition experiment simulating an invasion scenario with a limited food base, gobies grew faster than did ruffe, suggesting that gobies may be competitively superior at low resource levels. When zebra mussels were added in a short-term experiment, the presence or absence of mussels did not affect goby or ruffe growth, as few zebra mussels were consumed. This finding, along with other laboratory evidence, suggests that gobies may prefer soft-bodied invertebrate prey over zebra mussels. Studies of interactions among the “exotic triad”, combined with continued surveillance, may help Great Lakes fisheries managers to predict future population sizes and distributions of these invasive fish, evaluate their impacts on native food webs, and direct possible control measures to appropriate species.

Effects of small-scale disturbance on invasion success in marine communities

Introductions of non-indigenous species have resulted in many ecological problems including the reduction of biodiversity, decline of commercially important species and alteration of ecosystems. The link between disturbance and invasion potential has rarely been studied in the marine environment where dominance hierarchies, dynamics of larval supply, and resource acquisition may differ greatly from terrestrial systems. In this study, hard substrate marine communities in Long Island Sound, USA were used to assess the effect of disturbance on resident species and recent invaders, ascidian growth form (i.e. colonial and solitary growth form), and the dominant species-specific responses within the community. Community age was an additional factor considered through manipulation of 5-wk old assemblages and 1-yr old assemblages. Disturbance treatments, exposing primary substrate, were characterized by frequency (single, biweekly, monthly) and magnitude (20%, 48%, 80%) of disturbance. In communities of different ages, disturbance frequency had a significant positive effect on space occupation of recent invaders and a significant negative effect on resident species. In the 5-wk community, magnitude of disturbance also had a significant effect. Disturbance also had a significant effect on ascidian growth form; colonial species occupied more primary space than controls in response to increased disturbance frequency and magnitude. In contrast, solitary species occupied significantly less space than controls. Species-specific responses were similar regardless of community age. The non-native colonial ascidian Diplosoma listerianum responded positively to increased disturbance frequency and magnitude, and occupied more primary space in treatments than in controls. The resident solitary ascidian Molgula manhattensis responded negatively to increased disturbance frequency and magnitude, and occupied less primary space in treatments than in controls. Small-scale biological disturbances, by creating space, may facilitate the success of invasive species and colonial organisms in the development of subtidal hard substrate communities.

Ozone treatment of ballast water on the oil tanker S/T Tonsina: chemistry, biology and toxicity

Worldwide transfer and introduction of non-indigenous species in ballast water causes significant environmental and economic impact. One way to address this problem is to remove or inactivate organisms that are found in ballast water. In this study, 3 experiments were conducted in Puget Sound, Washington, USA, using a prototype ozone treatment system installed on a commercial oil tanker, the S/T Tonsina. Treatment consisted of ozone gas diffused into a ballast tank for 5 and 10 h. Treatment and control tanks were sampled during the ozonation period for chemistry, cultur- able bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton. Selected fish and invertebrates were placed in cages deployed in the treatment and control tanks. Ozone introduced into seawater rapidly converts bro- mide (Br - ) to bromines (HOBr/OBr - ), compounds that are disinfectants. These were measured as total residual oxidant (TRO). Ozone treatment inactivated large portions of culturable bacteria, phyto- plankton and zooplankton. The highest reductions observed were 99.99% for the culturable bacteria, >99% for dinoflagellates and 96% for zooplankton. Caged animal results varied among taxa and locations in the ballast tank. Sheepshead minnows and mysid shrimp were most susceptible, shore crabs and amphipods the least. Distribution of ozone in the treatment tank was not homogenous during experiments, as suggested by the observed TRO concentrations and lower efficacies for inactivating the different taxa in selected ballast tank locations. Low concentrations of bromoform, a disinfection byproduct, were found in treated ballast water.

Estuarine water classification using EEM spectroscopy and PARAFAC–SIMCA

The primary method for the prevention of the introduction of nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species in the U.S. is ballast water exchange (BWE). Our recent work focused on the use of the excitation emission matrix (EEM) spectroscopy of the colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) to “fingerprint” water as a function of its port of origin, and therefore provide a forensic tool for the enforcement of BWE regulations. In that work, we utilized N-way partial least squares with discriminant analysis (NPLS-DA), which models the data with an emphasis on differences among classes (ports of origin). In this work, EEMs of samples from three different U.S. ports were analyzed by parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) coupled with soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA) to provide an effective classification method with a low false positive rate. This coupling, which is shown for the first time in this work, can be a useful alternative to NPLS-DA in that PARAFAC–SIMCA decomposes the EEM signal into chemical components and utilizes the scores for these components in the classification scheme. This gives the user the option of removing the contributions of interfering or unidentifiable fluorescent components prior to classification.