Round Goby Research Articles

Diagnostic Value of Biochemical and Histopathological Characteristics of the Round Goby Neogobius melanostomus (Gobiidae) in Assessing of Aquatic Environment

Diagnostic Value of Biochemical and Histopathological Characteristics of the Round Goby Neogobius melanostomus (Gobiidae) in Assessing of Aquatic Environment

Diagnostic Value of Biochemical and Histopathological Characteristics of the Round Goby Neogobius melanostomus (Gobiidae) in Assessing of Aquatic Environment

Study of the transformation of biochemical reactions into histopathological alterations is of importance for their correct use as the biomarkers for early biodiagnostics of the aquatic environment quality. The purpose of the present investigation was to analyze the biochemical characteristics (activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, level of oxidized proteins and lipid peroxidation, albumin and urea concentrations) in tissues of round goby Neogobius melanostomus (Pallas, 1814) with different degrees of histopathological alterations. The results of histopathological studies in liver, gills and kidneys of this fish revealed twenty four pathological alterations referring to five types of disorders: circulatory disturbances, inflammatory reactions, progressive and regressive changes, and benign tumors. The relation between some pathological changes (necrosis of nephrocytes, necrosis and atrophy of individual renal tubules; necrosis of hepatocytes) and biochemical parameters (activity of alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase, level of lipid peroxidation) in round goby tissues was found. We demonstrate high diagnostic significance of the combined use of biochemical and histopathological parameters in round goby tissues for assessing the aquatic environment quality.

Ecological study on helminths of three species of Gobiidae from the Danube River, Bulgaria.

A total of 72 specimens of Babka gymnotrachelus (Kessler, 1857), Neogobius fluviatilis (Pallas, 1814), and Neogobius melanostomus (Pallas, 1814) from four sampling sites along the Bulgarian section of the Danube River (Kudelin, Novo selo, Koshava, and Kutovo), Northwestern Bulgaria were submitted to ecologohelminthological investigation. During the examination 6 species of helminths have been identified from 3 classes: Trematoda (Nicolla skrjabini (Iwanitzky, 1928) Dollfus, 1960), Acanthocephala (Acanthocephalus anguillae (Müller, 1780) Lühe, 1911; Acanthocephalus lucii (Müller, 1776) Lühe, 1911; Pomphorhynchus laevis (Zoega in Müller, 1776) Porta, 1908) and Nematoda (Contracaecum sp., Eustrongylides excisus Jägerskiöld, 1909). Ecological indices of the established endohelminth species were tracked. The four sampling sites from the Danube River are new habitats for the discovered endohelminth species of racer goby, monkey goby, and round goby. The three goby species are new host records: B. gymnotrachelus and N. fluviatilis for Ac. lucii; N. melanostomus for Ac. lucii, Ac. anguillae and Contracaecum sp. New species of helminths are found in the helminth fauna of the three studied species of gobies from the Danube River and the river basin (Ac. lucii of N. fluviatilis) and in Bulgaria (Ac. lucii of B. gymnotrachelus; Ac. lucii, Ac. anguillae and Contracaecum sp. of N. melanostomus). The pathogenic species helminths for the fish and humans are found.

Alternative sources of marine bioactive compounds from the Black Sea: Isolation and characterization of fish skin collagen from Neogobius melanostomus (Pallas 1814) (Perciformes: Gobiidae)

Round goby-Neogobius melanostomus is the common discard catch species from the shelf zone in the Black Sea, and the abundance rate increases yearly. The aim of this work was the isolation and characterization of collagen from the skin of round goby-N. melanostomus in the Black Sea. The results revealed that the skin of N. melanostomus presented high protein concentration (80%), rich in glycine (34%), alanine (11%), proline (9%) and hydroxyproline (7%), which are characteristic of typical molecules of collagen protein. Thus, the yield of collagen is estimated at 10%. The zero surface net charge of the sample was estimated between pH 5–6, indicating its proximity to the collagen isoelectric point. In addition, FTIR results confirmed its highly organized helical structure, which was preserved in Round Goby species. The biological assays showed that there is a significant increase in cell viability according to control samples in 48 h. Cytotoxicity behavior​ demonstrated that the marine collagen obtained by round goby fish skin is noncytotoxic. In conclusion, these results indicate that this goby species is a potential marine source of collagen.

Trophic impact of Neogobius melanostomus in a restored site on the Old Rhine River (France)

Trophic impact of Neogobius melanostomus in a restored site on the Old Rhine River (France)

Competitive interactions between invasive round goby and native white sucker in streams

The secondary invasion of the round goby ( Neogobius melanostomus) into tributaries of the Laurentian Great Lakes has resulted in ecological impacts on many native benthic species. However, the ecological impacts on white sucker ( Catostomus commersonii), a native benthic species has not been examined. A comparative control and invaded site study design was used to examine diet overlap and the dietary impact of the round goby invasion on white sucker’s trophic niche. We found significant diet overlap between round goby and white sucker, and white sucker in sympatry with round goby shift their feeding strategy to be more generalist when compared to white sucker in uninvaded locations. No influence of diet competition with round goby on the trophic niche of white sucker was found in this study. Our results support the hypothesis that white sucker are experiencing competition for prey items with round goby. These increased competitive interactions may exacerbate the observed declines in white sucker abundance as round goby continue their invasion upstream in Lake Ontario tributaries.

Length–weight Relationships of 19 Marine Fish Species from the Southern Coast of Black Sea Associated with Small-Scale Fisheries

This study presents the length-weight relationship (LWRs) estimates for 19 marine fish species belonging to 12 families from the southern coast of the Black Sea. The species were sampled using small-scale fishing gears such as gillnets and trammel nets at depths of 0-120 m from 2010 to 2021. The LWRs were calculated by the linear regression of natural log-transformed data concerning W = a × TLb. Growth type was evaluated according to Pauly’s t-test. The slope (b-value) ranged between 2.5643 and 3.5745, corresponding to the commonly expected range (2.50–3.50) except for Spicara flexuosum. The coefficient of determination values (r2) were above 0.90 except for Chromis chromis, Gobius niger, Neogobius melanostomus, Sardina pilchardus and Uranoscopus scaber. This study targeted specimens from small-scale fisheries-related gears; therefore, the results are primarily of interest to local fisheries management. The new LWRs cover substantially larger TLmax values than any previous study, and thus we can assume that all size classes of the species are adequately represented, and the new LWRs are more significant and species-specific than any previous estimate. This paper offers new insights into LWRs for the Umbrina cirrosa from the southern coast of the Black Sea.

Nonlethal detection of PFAS bioaccumulation and biomagnification within fishes in an urban- and wastewater-dominant Great Lakes watershed

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic endocrine disruptors that are particularly stable and pervasive due to strong carbon-fluorine bonds. They are known to bioaccumulate in protein-rich tissues of fish, and most cannot be eliminated with cooking. Despite studies linking PFAS to adverse health outcomes, there is a lack of international regulations of PFAS as a hazardous material. To investigate PFAS in an aquatic food web and the potential human health implications, we analyzed the concentrations of 40 PFAS from muscle biopsy and serum samples of fish representing different trophic levels along the Lake Huron – Lake Erie Corridor. In Summer (2021), walleye (Sander vitreus; WAE), yellow perch (Perca flavescens; YEP) and round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus; ROG) were collected for analysis from the Detroit River (contaminated site) and St. Clair River (reference site). Eight PFAS congeners were detected in muscle and 15 congeners in serum, leading to the novel detection in Great Lakes fish of 7:3 FTCA in muscle and PFHpS, PFNS, MeFOSAA, and EtFOSAA in serum. PFOS was detected in 100% of muscle and serum pools across all species at concentrations lower than those associated with fish toxicity. Muscle PFOS concentration in DR WAE fell under the 8 meals per month (>13 ng–19 ng) fish consumption advisory according to the State of Michigan. Log bioaccumulation factor was significantly different (p = 0.01) among species in DR, driven by higher log BAF for WAE (3.8 ± 0.1) compared to ROG (3.2± 0.02). Biomagnification factor greater than 1 for all species in both rivers indicates that PFOS is biomagnifying in SCR and DR food webs. Successful detection and quantification of PFAS in the muscle and serum of three fish species demonstrates the potential for using this nonlethal sampling method to monitor PFAS and better understand ecological and human health impacts of PFAS exposure.

Boldness, movement and exploration tendency in round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) in Southern Ontario.

Invasive species have the potential to damage ecosystems outside their native range. At an invasion front, individuals are faced with the unfamiliar conditions of a novel environment. Therefore, certain behavioural traits such as boldness and movement likely play a role in invasion ecology. If behavioural traits of this kind are influenced by differing selection pressures between demographic groups of the same species, this could have broad implications for the management of expanding invasion fronts. To determine whether the invasive round goby (Neogobius melanostomus, Pallas, 1814) exhibits sex- and habitat-based differences in boldness and movement across the invasion front, the authors assessed individual movement and exploration tendency under controlled lab settings using video analysis in a behavioural assay. N. melanostomus from lakes tended to be bolder than those from streams, and females tended to be bolder than males. This study provides evidence for sex- and habitat-based differences in behaviour in this globally invasive species that the authors hope will assist in forming the foundation for contextually appropriate management strategies.

Round Goby Detection in Lakes Huron and Michigan—An Evaluation of eDNA and Fish Catches

Aquatic surveys for fish in large water bodies (e.g., Laurentian Great Lakes of North America) often require a flexible approach using multiple methods, surveying different depths, and sampling across seasons, especially when the target species is elusive in its natural habitat. The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is an invasive, bottom-dwelling fish inhabiting rocky areas of all five Great Lakes. While trawl surveys are typically used for abundance assessments, angling has been demonstrated as a means of supplementing surveys with additional data. Yet, round goby abundance and distribution is still not well described. Recently, with considerable success, scientists have explored sampling environmental DNA (eDNA) to complement traditional monitoring techniques for population abundance estimates, early detection of invasive species, and spawning or migration events. Therefore, we collected eDNA from water samples alongside bottom trawls and hook and line angling in Lakes Huron and Michigan to detect round goby. eDNA samples were analyzed by both droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and quantitative PCR (qPCR) to maximize the likelihood of detection. Overall, round goby was captured in 23% of the trawls, but the eDNA based methods detected round goby in 74% and 66% of samples by ddPCR and qPCR, respectively, mostly in samples collected at <30 m depths, and mostly in the fall. More studies comparing eDNA based methods to traditional monitoring, especially trawls in large open waters, may contribute to a better understanding of using eDNA in population assessments.

Population recovery and occurrence of the endemic Rhine sculpin (Cottus rhenanus)

The Rhine sculpin (Cottus rhenanus) is a benthic rheophilic fish species that is endemic to tributaries of the rivers Rhine and Meuse in North-western Europe. Little is known about its occurrence and individuals density in relation to habitat characteristics. A core population of C. rhenanus occurs in the River Geul in the Netherlands. Since the late 19th century, this river was heavily polluted by communal and industrial wastewater, causing a strong population decline. As the core population of C. rhenanus is recovering, the status, distribution, and habitat use could be studied to facilitate recovery in other locations. Cottus rhenanus density of individuals significantly increased over the period 2005–2015 and it became one of the most abundant fish species in assemblages. Negative relationships were observed between C. rhenanus densities and a high abundance of boulders (>200 mm), large structures such as woody debris, and water depth. The population increase and recolonization of C. rhenanus coincided with water quality improvement, which suggests that this fish species can be used to assess small streams ecosystem integrity. The recent range expansion of the Ponto-Caspian round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) poses a high risk of negative effects on C. rhenanus populations via food and shelter competition. Further water quality improvement, habitat conservation, and prevention of the spread of invasive gobies could favour C. rhenanus populations within their natural range.

ВОЗДЕЙСТВИЕ ФУНГИЦИДА "КАЮНИС, КЭ" НА РАЗЛИЧНЫЕ ЗВЕНЬЯ ТРОФИЧЕСКОЙ ЦЕПИ В МОДЕЛЬНОМ ЭКСПЕРИМЕНТЕ

Currently, there is an ongoing process of development of the next-generation pesticides, which use for the purposes of agriculture has negative implications for the environment. Their hazard potential is attributable to two factors: high biological activity and their application method involving their dispersion in the environment. It necessitates the investigation of the effect of pesticides on aquatic organisms, which includes changes in their habitat, disruptions of their vital functions, especially at the early stages of their ontogeny, accumulation in their tissues, and movement along the trophic chain. Toxicological assessment of the fungicide Cayunis, EC effect has been conducted on the aquatic organisms of various taxonomic groups: microalgae (Scenedesmus guadricauda (Turpin) Brébisson, 1835), macrophytes (Elodea canadensis Michaux, 1803), molluscs ( Planorbarius corneus (Linnaeus, 1758)), embryos and fry of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus (Pallas, 1814)). Over the course of the experiment, the conditions for intoxication were identified, and the toxicometric characteristics of the aquatic organisms belonging to various trophic levels were estimated. Using an experimental approach, the threshold and no observed effect concentrations of the preparative form of Cayunis, EC pesticide have been identified for each test subject. This study made it possible to compare the sensitivity of each investigated test subject to the fungicide. Among the studied test subjects, round goby fry has proved to be the most sensitive to the effect of Cayunis, EC fungicide.

Dynamics of Commercial Goby Species Populations and Their Harvest in the Tendra Gulf

The article deals with dynamics of populations of the commercial gobies (round goby <i>Neogobius melanostomus</i> (Pallas, 1814), knout goby Mesogobius batrachocephalus (Pallas, 1814) and grass goby <i>Zosterisessor ophiocephalus</i> (Pallas, 1814)) in the Tendra Bay for the past 30 years. The habitat of knout goby in the open sea 15 km to the south of the Tendra Island was revealed, which is one of the main reserves of the species in the nort-western section of the Black Sea. Dimensional and weight parameters and age structure of the considered species over 1989-2001 in the Tendra Bay and of knout goby in 2019 in the specified locationwere examined; their comparative analysis was carried out.

Aerobic metabolic scope mapping of an invasive fish species with global warming.

Climate change will exacerbate the negative effects associated with the introduction of non-indigenous species in marine ecosystems. Predicting the spread of invasive species in relation to environmental warming is therefore a fundamental task in ecology and conservation. The Baltic Sea is currently threatened by several local stressors and the highest increase in sea surface temperature of the world's large marine ecosystems. These new thermal conditions can further favour the spreading of the invasive round goby (Neogobius melanostomus), a fish of Ponto-Caspian origin, currently well established in the southern and central parts of the Baltic Sea. This study aims to assess the thermal habitat suitability of the round goby in the Baltic Sea considering the past and future conditions. The study combines sightings records with known physiological models of aerobic performance and sea surface temperatures. Physiological models read these temperatures, at sighting times and locations, to determine their effects on the aerobic metabolic scope (AMS) of the fish, a measure of its energetic potential in relation to environmental conditions. The geographical mapping of the AMS was used to describe the changes in habitat suitability during the past 3 decades and for climatic predictions (until 2100) showing that the favourable thermal habitat in the Baltic Sea has increased during the past 32 years and will continue to do so in all the applied climate model predictions. Particularly, the predicted new thermal conditions do not cause any reduction in the AMS of round goby populations, while the wintertime cold ranges are likely expected to preserve substantial areas from invasion. The results of this research can guide future monitoring programs increasing the chance to detect this invader in novel areas.

The adventive species community changes in the Cheboksary reservoir during 2001-2021

Generally publications devoted to invasive fish species in the Volga-Kama cascade of reservoirs represents relative indicators and do not provide data on the abundance, numbers and invasive communities’ single species dynamics. It does not allow providing a correct assessment of population’s state and changes in the nonindigenous species composition. In this work, changes in the abundance and species structure of the Cheboksary reservoir’s invasive fish community during 2001-2021 were estimated. The total fish count was determined on data of active fishing gears catches and precise reservoir area. Differentiation into mass, widespread and relatively numerous and locally found with a small average abundance species was noted. A decrease in the species evenness of the invasive community was recorded in consequence of the Black Sea-Caspian sprat Clupeonella cultriventris (Nordmann, 1840) and the round goby Neogobius melanostomus (Pallas, 1814) domination rise. The Black Sea-Caspian sprat and the round goby put together for 98.7% of the total number of invasive fish in the current period. Due to this two dominant species there is a tendency to increase the relative abundance of invasive fish species in the reservoir up to 561 unit/ha despite a significant decrease in the abundance of some other invaders.

Regression analysis of the length-weight relationships for 17 common European fish in rivers in the Czech Republic

Length-weight relationships (LWRs) are useful for calculating weight based on measurements of length. Here we provide LWRs for 17 species of fish from the rivers Vltava and Elbe in the Czech Republic, Central Europe. The samples were collected by electrofishing from May 2016 to August 2019. There are far fewer LWRs for riverine than lotic fish. All LWRs were significant with r2 values ranging from 0.99 for the European barbel (Barbus barbus) to 0.95 for European bullhead (Cottus gobio) and with estimated b values ranging from 2.93 in common dace (Leuciscus leuciscus) to 3.26 in non-native round goby (Neogobius melanostomus). These results increase the data on LWRs for fish in riverine environments and provides a good tool for managing fisheries and future studies.

Impact of hydraulic forces on the passage of round goby (Neogobius melanostomus), gudgeon (Gobio gobio) and bullhead (Cottus gobio) in a vertical slot fish pass

AbstractEvery fish migrating upstream through vertical slot fish passes must swim through slots, where the resistance force of flowing water could affect the passage success. We measured the hydraulic force acting on the body of preserved benthic fish in a vertical slot at different water discharge rates (80 and 130 L/s) to compare the hydraulic burden individual fish species (round goby Neogobius melanostomus Pallas, 1814, gudgeon Gobio gobio L. and bullhead Cottus gobio L.) must overcome. The forces measured in three spatial axes were then compared to acoustic Doppler velocity measurements and the passage probability of 39–45 live fish per species. Passage probability reduction of 28.26% for round goby and 39.29% for bullhead was observed at the higher water discharge. Gudgeon showed increased numbers of passages and approaches when larger hydraulic forces were experienced at 130 L/s compared to the lower water discharge. Gudgeon experienced significantly lower hydraulic forces (mean 0.27 N ± 0.12 standard deviation) compared to round goby (mean 0.32 N ± 0.12 SD) and bullhead (0.35 N ± 0.14 SD). Potentially, the increased hydraulic forces at the higher water discharge contributed to the reduction in passages in round goby and bullhead. That gudgeon behaved differently from the other species illustrates how fish species deal differently with flowing water and the hydraulic forces experienced. Our approach provides a species‐oriented assessment of the flow field in ecologically relevant fish passes. These findings represent an important step towards the development of purposeful fish pass designs, which is essential for ecosystem‐oriented river connectivity.

Tracking Fish Lifetime Exposure to Mercury Using Eye Lenses.

Mercury (Hg) uptake in fish is affected by diet, growth, and environmental factors such as primary productivity or oxygen regimes. Traditionally, fish Hg exposure is assessed using muscle tissue or whole fish, reflecting both loss and uptake processes that result in Hg bioaccumulation over entire lifetimes. Tracking changes in Hg exposure of an individual fish chronologically throughout its lifetime can provide novel insights into the processes that affect Hg bioaccumulation. Here we use eye lenses to determine Hg uptake at an annual scale for individual fish. We assess the widely distributed benthic round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) from the Baltic Sea, Lake Erie, and the St. Lawrence River. We aged layers of the eye lens using proportional relationships between otolith length at age and eye lens radius for each individual fish. Mercury concentrations were quantified using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The eye lens Hg content revealed that Hg exposure increased with age in Lake Erie and the Baltic Sea but decreased with age in the St. Lawrence River, a trend not detected using muscle tissues. This novel methodology for measuring Hg concentration over time with eye lens chronology holds promise for quantifying how global change processes like increasing hypoxia affect the exposure of fish to Hg.

Combined tracers reveal the multi‐dimensionality of resource partitioning among sympatric forage fish

Abstract Quantifying the multi‐dimensional nature of resource partitioning in‐situ represents a fundamental challenge for understanding how environmental conditions contribute to the co‐existence of sympatric species. For aquatic poikilotherms, the availability of temperatures at or near optima generally define the ranges and limitations of species biology and ecology. Specifically, how poikilotherms partition this abiotic resource remains a broader unknown in aquatic ecology. Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), deepwater sculpin (Myoxocephalus thompsonii), rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), and round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) co‐occur throughout Lake Ontario and are known to share common prey resources. Here, we used a combination of trophic tracers (stable isotopes), pollutants (polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs), and bioenergetic modelling to illustrate resource partitioning of diet items and thermal habitat among Lake Ontario prey fish species. We predicted that the combined use of δ13C, δ15N, and PCBs will capture the multi‐dimensional nature of resource partitioning among coexisting species inhabiting similar compartments within this ecosystem. The δ13C and δ15N values confirmed our understanding of trophic relationships among these species. A bioenergetic model predicted temperature occupancies for each species and for individuals during the open water growing season when prey consumption rates are likely to be maximised and the PCB congener profiles were highly correlated with these predictions. Three‐dimensional niche modelling demonstrated that ecological tracer assimilation is probably a direct result of species behavioural thermoregulation during the open water growing season when temperatures are at or near physiological optima. These results demonstrate that the ability of aquatic poikilotherms to track optimal temperatures and exploit habitat and food resources is captured by their PCB congener profiles. Consumer PCB congener profiles integrate not only the specific prey resources consumed, but also the predominant thermal conditions under which those resources were acquired and assimilated and that subsequently regulate individual and species growth. Given their global ubiquity and capacity for interpretation under the assumptions applied to ecological tracers, consumer PCB profiles could greatly advance our understanding of the mechanisms regulating resource partitioning, especially among aquatic poikilotherms.

Karadeniz’in Türkiye Kıyılarındaki Bazı Balık Türlerinin Boy-Ağırlık İlişkileri (LWRs)

In this study 288 length-weight relationships of some fish species from the Turkish coasts of Black Sea were gathered from 138 studies, which were conducted by several researchers between 1989 and 2021. For all species, the “b” values ranged from 2.49 for Trachurus trachurus to 3.75 for Alosa caspia. The expected range of 2.5<b<3.5 is confirmed for fish. It is thought that the high b value (3.75) given for A. caspia may be due to the size composition of the samples. Within species, a plot of log (a) vs b was used to detect outliers in weight–length relationships. In study, two outliers were determined for Mullus barbatus while, one outlier was determined for Belone belone, Alosa immaculata, Merlangius merlangus and Neogobius melanostomus.