Moussab/ORKG-training-evaluation-set huggingface dataset:
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: The demography of introduction pathways, propagule pressure and occurrences of non-native freshwater fish in England
Abstract: 1. Biological invasion theory predicts that the introduction and establishment of non-native species is positively correlated with propagule pressure. Releases of pet and aquarium fishes to inland waters has a long history; however, few studies have examined the demographic basis of their importation and incidence in the wild. 2. For the 1500 grid squares (10×10 km) that make up England, data on human demographics (population density, numbers of pet shops, garden centres and fish farms), the numbers of non-native freshwater fishes (from consented licences) imported in those grid squares (i.e. propagule pressure), and the reported incidences (in a national database) of non-native fishes in the wild were used to examine spatial relationships between the occurrence of non-native fishes and the demographic factors associated with propagule pressure, as well as to test whether the demographic factors are statistically reliable predictors of the incidence of non-native fishes, and as such surrogate estimators of propagule pressure. 3. Principal coordinates of neighbour matrices analyses, used to generate spatially explicit models, and confirmatory factor analysis revealed that spatial distributions of non-native species in England were significantly related to human population density, garden centre density and fish farm density. Human population density and the number of fish imports were identified as the best predictors of propagule pressure. 4. Human population density is an effective surrogate estimator of non-native fish propagule pressure and can be used to predict likely areas of non-native fish introductions. In conjunction with fish movements, where available, human population densities can be used to support biological invasion monitoring programmes across Europe (and perhaps globally) and to inform management decisions as regards the prioritization of areas for the control of non-native fish introductions. © Crown copyright 2010. Reproduced with the permission of her Majesty's Stationery Office. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Extracted statement — Habitat: Freshwater
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Propagule pressure drives establishment of introduced freshwater fish: quantitative evidence from an irrigation network
Abstract: Propagule pressure is recognized as a fundamental driver of freshwater fish invasions, though few studies have quantified its role. Natural experiments can be used to quantify the role of this factor relative to others in driving establishment success. An irrigation network in South Africa takes water from an inter-basin water transfer (IBWT) scheme to supply multiple small irrigation ponds. We compared fish community composition upstream, within, and downstream of the irrigation network, to show that this system is a unidirectional dispersal network with a single immigration source. We then assessed the effect of propagule pressure and biological adaptation on the colonization success of nine fish species across 30 recipient ponds of varying age. Establishing species received significantly more propagules at the source than did incidental species, while rates of establishment across the ponds displayed a saturation response to propagule pressure. This shows that propagule pressure is a significant driver of establishment overall. Those species that did not establish were either extremely rare at the immigration source or lacked the reproductive adaptations to breed in the ponds. The ability of all nine species to arrive at some of the ponds illustrates how long-term continuous propagule pressure from IBWT infrastructure enables range expansion of fishes. The quantitative link between propagule pressure and success and rate of population establishment confirms the driving role of this factor in fish invasion ecology.
Extracted statement — Habitat: Freshwater
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Ecological traits of the amphipod invader Dikerogammarus villosus on a mesohabitat scale
Abstract: Since 1995, Dikerogammarus villosus Sowinski, a Ponto-Caspian amphi- pod species, has been invading most of Western Europe' s hydrosystems. D. villosus geographic extension and quickly increasing population density has enabled it to become a major component of macrobenthic assemblages in recipient ecosystems. The ecological characteristics of D. villosus on a mesohabitat scale were investigated at a station in the Moselle River. This amphipod is able to colonize a wide range of sub- stratum types, thus posing a threat to all freshwater ecosystems. Rivers whose domi- nant substratum is cobbles and which have tree roots along the banks could harbour particularly high densities of D. villosus. A relationship exists between substratum par- ticle size and the length of the individuals, and spatial segregation according to length was shown. This allows the species to limit intra-specific competition between genera- tions while facilitating reproduction. A strong association exists between D. villosus and other Ponto-Caspian species, such as Dreissena polymorpha and Corophium cur- vispinum, in keeping with Invasional Meltdown Theory. Four taxa (Coenagrionidae, Calopteryx splendens, Corophium curvispinum and Gammarus pulex ) exhibited spa- tial niches that overlap significantly that of D. villosus. According to the predatory be- haviour of the newcomer, their populations may be severely impacted.
Extracted statement — Habitat: Freshwater
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Exotic species replacement: shifting dominance of dreissenid mussels in the Soulanges Canal, upper St. Lawrence River, Canada
Abstract: Abstract During the early 1990s, 2 Eurasian macrofouling mollusks, the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha and the quagga mussel D. bugensis, colonized the freshwater section of the St. Lawrence River and decimated native mussel populations through competitive interference. For several years, zebra mussels dominated molluscan biomass in the river; however, quagga mussels have increased in abundance and are apparently displacing zebra mussels from the Soulanges Canal, west of the Island of Montreal. The ratio of quagga mussel biomass to zebra mussel biomass on the canal wall is correlated with depth, and quagga mussels constitute >99% of dreissenid biomass on bottom sediments. This dominance shift did not substantially affect the total dreissenid biomass, which has remained at 3 to 5 kg fresh mass /m2 on the canal walls for nearly a decade. The mechanism for this shift is unknown, but may be related to a greater bioenergetic efficiency for quaggas, which attained larger shell sizes than zebra mussels at all depths. Similar events have occurred in the lower Great Lakes where zebra mussels once dominated littoral macroinvertebrate biomass, demonstrating that a well-established and prolific invader can be replaced by another introduced species without prior extinction.
Extracted statement — Habitat: Freshwater
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Implications of beaver Castor canadensis and trout introductions on native fish in the Cape Horn biosphere reserve, Chile
Abstract: Abstract Invasive species threaten global biodiversity, but multiple invasions make predicting the impacts difficult because of potential synergistic effects. We examined the impact of introduced beaver Castor canadensis, brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis, and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss on native stream fishes in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, Chile. The combined effects of introduced species on the structure of the native freshwater fish community were quantified by electrofishing 28 stream reaches within four riparian habitat types (forest, grassland, shrubland, and beaver-affected habitat) in 23 watersheds and by measuring related habitat variables (water velocity, substrate type, depth, and the percentage of pools). Three native stream fish species (puye Galaxias maculatus [also known as inanga], Aplochiton taeniatus, and A. zebra) were found along with brook trout and rainbow trout, but puye was the only native species that was common and widespread. The reaches affected by beaver impoundmen...
Extracted statement — Habitat: Freshwater
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Does whirling disease mediate hybridization between a native and nonnative trout?
Abstract: AbstractThe spread of nonnative species over the last century has profoundly altered freshwater ecosystems, resulting in novel species assemblages. Interactions between nonnative species may alter their impacts on native species, yet few studies have addressed multispecies interactions. The spread of whirling disease, caused by the nonnative parasite Myxobolus cerebralis, has generated declines in wild trout populations across western North America. Westslope Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi in the northern Rocky Mountains are threatened by hybridization with introduced Rainbow Trout O. mykiss. Rainbow Trout are more susceptible to whirling disease than Cutthroat Trout and may be more vulnerable due to differences in spawning location. We hypothesized that the presence of whirling disease in a stream would (1) reduce levels of introgressive hybridization at the site scale and (2) limit the size of the hybrid zone at the whole-stream scale. We measured levels of introgression and the spatial ext...
Extracted statement — Habitat: Freshwater
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Comparisons of isotopic niche widths of some invasive and indigenous fauna in a South African river
Abstract: Summary Biological invasions threaten ecosystem integrity and biodiversity, with numerous adverse implications for native flora and fauna. Established populations of two notorious freshwater invaders, the snail Tarebia granifera and the fish Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus, have been reported on three continents and are frequently predicted to be in direct competition with native species for dietary resources. Using comparisons of species' isotopic niche widths and stable isotope community metrics, we investigated whether the diets of the invasive T. granifera and P. disjunctivus overlapped with those of native species in a highly invaded river. We also attempted to resolve diet composition for both species, providing some insight into the original pathway of invasion in the Nseleni River, South Africa. Stable isotope metrics of the invasive species were similar to or consistently mid-range in comparison with their native counterparts, with the exception of markedly more uneven spread in isotopic space relative to indigenous species. Dietary overlap between the invasive P. disjunctivus and native fish was low, with the majority of shared food resources having overlaps of <0.26. The invasive T. granifera showed effectively no overlap with the native planorbid snail. However, there was a high degree of overlap between the two invasive species (˜0.86). Bayesian mixing models indicated that detrital mangrove Barringtonia racemosa leaves contributed the largest proportion to P. disjunctivus diet (0.12–0.58), while the diet of T. granifera was more variable with high proportions of detrital Eichhornia crassipes (0.24–0.60) and Azolla filiculoides (0.09–0.33) as well as detrital Barringtonia racemosa leaves (0.00–0.30). Overall, although the invasive T. granifera and P. disjunctivus were not in direct competition for dietary resources with native species in the Nseleni River system, their spread in isotopic space suggests they are likely to restrict energy available to higher consumers in the food web. Establishment of these invasive populations in the Nseleni River is thus probably driven by access to resources unexploited or unavailable to native residents.
Extracted statement — Habitat: Freshwater
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Over-invasion in a freshwater ecosystem: newly introduced virile crayfish (Orconectes virilis) outcompete established invasive signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus)
Abstract: Abstract Biological invasions are a key threat to freshwater biodiversity, and identifying determinants of invasion success is a global conservation priority. The establishment of introduced species is predicted to be hindered by pre-existing, functionally similar invasive species. Over a five-year period we, however, find that in the River Lee (UK), recently introduced non-native virile crayfish (Orconectes virilis) increased in range and abundance, despite the presence of established alien signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus). In regions of sympatry, virile crayfish had a detrimental effect on signal crayfish abundance but not vice versa. Competition experiments revealed that virile crayfish were more aggressive than signal crayfish and outcompeted them for shelter. Together, these results provide early evidence for the potential over-invasion of signal crayfish by competitively dominant virile crayfish. Based on our results and the limited distribution of virile crayfish in Europe, we recommend that efforts to contain them within the Lee catchment be implemented immediately.
Extracted statement — Habitat: Freshwater
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Feeding behaviour, predatory functional response and trophic interactions of the invasive Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) and signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus)
Abstract: 1. Freshwaters are subject to particularly high rates of species introductions; hence, invaders increasingly co-occur and may interact to enhance impacts on ecosystem structure and function. As trophic interactions are a key mechanism by which invaders influence communities, we used a combination of approaches to investigate the feeding preferences and community impacts of two globally invasive large benthic decapods that co-occur in freshwaters: the signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) and Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). 2. In laboratory preference tests, both consumed similar food items, including chironomids, isopods and the eggs of two coarse fish species. In a comparison of predatory functional responses with a native crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes), juvenile E. sinensis had a greater predatory intensity than the native A. pallipes on the keystone shredder Gammarus pulex, and also displayed a greater preference than P. leniusculus for this prey item. 3. In outdoor mesocosms (n = 16) used to investigate community impacts, the abundance of amphipods, isopods, chironomids and gastropods declined in the presence of decapods, and a decapod >gastropod >periphyton trophic cascade was detected when both species were present. Eriocheir sinensis affected a wider range of animal taxa than P. leniusculus. 4. Stable-isotope and gut-content analysis of wild-caught adult specimens of both invaders revealed a wide and overlapping range of diet items including macrophytes, algae, terrestrial detritus, macroinvertebrates and fish. Both decapods were similarly enriched in 15N and occupied the same trophic level as Ephemeroptera, Odonata and Notonecta. Eriocheir sinensis d13C values were closely aligned with macrophytes indicating a reliance on energy from this basal resource, supported by evidence of direct consumption from gut contents. Pacifastacus leniusculus d13C values were intermediate between those of terrestrial leaf litter and macrophytes, suggesting reliance on both allochthonous and autochthonous energy pathways. 5. Our results suggest that E. sinensis is likely to exert a greater per capita impact on the macroinvertebrate communities in invaded systems than P. leniusculus, with potential indirect effects on productivity and energy flow through the community.
Extracted statement — Habitat: Freshwater
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Strong invaders are strong defenders - implications for the resistance of invaded communities
Abstract: Many ecosystems receive a steady stream of non-native species. How biotic resistance develops over time in these ecosystems will depend on how established invaders contribute to subsequent resistance. If invasion success and defence capacity (i.e. contribution to resistance) are correlated, then community resistance should increase as species accumulate. If successful invaders also cause most impact (through replacing native species with low defence capacity) then the effect will be even stronger. If successful invaders instead have weak defence capacity or even facilitative attributes, then resistance should decrease with time, as proposed by the invasional meltdown hypothesis. We analysed 1157 introductions of freshwater fish in Swedish lakes and found that species' invasion success was positively correlated with their defence capacity and impact, suggesting that these communities will develop stronger resistance over time. These insights can be used to identify scenarios where invading species are expected to cause large impact.
Extracted statement — Habitat: Freshwater
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Introduction pathways and establishment rates of invasive aquatic species in Europe
Abstract: Species invasion is one of the leading mechanisms of global environmental change, particularly in freshwater ecosystems. We used the Food and Agriculture Organization's Database of Invasive Aquatic...
Extracted statement — Habitat: Freshwater
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: Alien aquatic plant species in European countries
Abstract: Hussner A (2012). Alien aquatic plant species in European countries. Weed Research52, 297–306. Summary Alien aquatic plant species cause serious ecological and economic impacts to European freshwater ecosystems. This study presents a comprehensive overview of all alien aquatic plants in Europe, their places of origin and their distribution within the 46 European countries. In total, 96 aquatic species from 30 families have been reported as aliens from at least one European country. Most alien aquatic plants are native to Northern America, followed by Asia and Southern America. Elodea canadensis is the most widespread alien aquatic plant in Europe, reported from 41 European countries. Azolla filiculoides ranks second (25), followed by Vallisneria spiralis (22) and Elodea nuttallii (20). The highest number of alien aquatic plant species has been found in Italy and France (34 species), followed by Germany (27), Belgium and Hungary (both 26) and the Netherlands (24). Even though the number of alien aquatic plants seems relatively small, the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO, http://www.eppo.org) has listed 18 of these species as invasive or potentially invasive within the EPPO region. As ornamental trade has been regarded as the major pathway for the introduction of alien aquatic plants, trading bans seem to be the most effective option to reduce the risk of further unintended entry of alien aquatic plants into Europe.
Extracted statement — Habitat: Freshwater
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: A global meta-analysis of the ecological impacts of nonnative crayfish
Abstract: Abstract. Nonnative crayfish have been widely introduced and are a major threat to freshwater biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Despite documentation of the ecological effects of nonnative crayfish from >3 decades of case studies, no comprehensive synthesis has been done to test quantitatively for their general or species-specific effects on recipient ecosystems. We provide the first global meta-analysis of the ecological effects of nonnative crayfish under experimental settings to compare effects among species and across levels of ecological organization. Our meta-analysis revealed strong, but variable, negative ecological impacts of nonnative crayfish with strikingly consistent effects among introduced species. In experimental settings, nonnative crayfish generally affect all levels of freshwater food webs. Nonnative crayfish reduce the abundance of basal resources like aquatic macrophytes, prey on invertebrates like snails and mayflies, and reduce abundances and growth of amphibians and fish, but they do not consistently increase algal biomass. Nonnative crayfish tend to have larger positive effects on growth of algae and larger negative effects on invertebrates and fish than native crayfish, but effect sizes vary considerably. Our study supports the assessment of crayfish as strong interactors in food webs that have significant effects across native taxa via polytrophic, generalist feeding habits. Nonnative crayfish species identity may be less important than extrinsic attributes of the recipient ecosystems in determining effects of nonnative crayfish. We identify some understudied and emerging nonnative crayfish that should be studied further and suggest expanding research to encompass more comparisons of native vs nonnative crayfish and different geographic regions. The consistent and general negative effects of nonnative crayfish warrant efforts to discourage their introduction beyond native ranges.
Extracted statement — Habitat: Freshwater
Research field: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Title: How well do we understand the impacts of alien species on ecosystem services? A pan-European, cross-taxa assessment
Abstract: Recent comprehensive data provided through the DAISIE project (www.europe-aliens.org) have facilitated the development of the first pan-European assessment of the impacts of alien plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates – in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments – on ecosystem services. There are 1094 species with documented ecological impacts and 1347 with economic impacts. The two taxonomic groups with the most species causing impacts are terrestrial invertebrates and terrestrial plants. The North Sea is the maritime region that suffers the most impacts. Across taxa and regions, ecological and economic impacts are highly correlated. Terrestrial invertebrates create greater economic impacts than ecological impacts, while the reverse is true for terrestrial plants. Alien species from all taxonomic groups affect “supporting”, “provisioning”, “regulating”, and “cultural” services and interfere with human well-being. Terrestrial vertebrates are responsible for the greatest range of impacts, and these are widely distributed across Europe. Here, we present a review of the financial costs, as the first step toward calculating an estimate of the economic consequences of alien species in Europe.
Extracted statement — Habitat: Freshwater