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10 pages, 2684 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Uncertainty in Marine Species Distribution Modelling: Trying to Locate Invasion Hotspots for Pterois miles in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

by Dimitris Poursanidis, Kostas Kougioumoutzis, Vasileios Minasidis, Niki Chartosia, Demetris Kletou and Stefanos Kalogirou

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(6), 729; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jmse10060729 - 26 May 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2596

Abstract

Biological invasions are considered among the largest threats to native biodiversity. The Mediterranean Sea, connecting the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic oceans, is characterized as a global marine invasion hotspot, due to a multitude of human pathways and vectors such as shipping, aquaculture, tourism, and [...] Read more.

Biological invasions are considered among the largest threats to native biodiversity. The Mediterranean Sea, connecting the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic oceans, is characterized as a global marine invasion hotspot, due to a multitude of human pathways and vectors such as shipping, aquaculture, tourism, and the opening of the Suez Canal, which have led to the introduction of nearly 700 alien species into the Mediterranean Sea. Among the species introduced, the lionfish Pterois miles could be considered the fastest spreading invasive fish species of the last decade (2012–2022) and has been recorded in all countries of the eastern Mediterranean Sea, reaching as far north as Croatia. Here, we present a Bayesian additive regression tree modelling framework for an updated species distribution modelling invasion map under current and future climate conditions. All climate uncertainty sources have been used, as these are available from the Bio-Oracle, the unique marine predictors database. Important outputs of the current approach are the model’s inadequacy to accurately predict the most recent expansion of species in the Adriatic Sea, and the uncertainty estimation, that are high in areas with confirmed occurrence of individuals, in simulations that can help the decision makers and policy officers understand model limitations and take more informed actions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Bio-Invasions)

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9 pages, 1603 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Dynamics of Maximum Lengths for the Invasive Silver-Cheeked Toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

by Aylin Ulman, Stefanos Kalogirou and Daniel Pauly

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(3), 387; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jmse10030387 - 08 Mar 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2405

Abstract

The Eastern Mediterranean Sea is the most invaded sea on the planet, with 666 non-indigenous species now recorded in the region. However, not all of these become successful in their new environments. Success here is defined by wide geographical spread, increased abundances, and [...] Read more.

The Eastern Mediterranean Sea is the most invaded sea on the planet, with 666 non-indigenous species now recorded in the region. However, not all of these become successful in their new environments. Success here is defined by wide geographical spread, increased abundances, and larger maximum sizes than their native range. The silver-cheeked toadfish Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin 1789) was first recorded in the Mediterranean Sea in 2003. It has now spread to all corners of the basin and is increasingly abundant in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea where it reaches monstrous sizes compared to the maximum sizes reported from its native range. This contribution presents three well-documented new weight records from the Dodecanese Islands, Greece: one specimen weighing 8.5 kg from 2012, and two specimens weighing 8 and 9 kg, respectively, from 2021. The latter is also confirmed with other well-documented larger-size records, along with a physiological hypothesis suggesting how such large sizes are reached. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Bio-Invasions)

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12 pages, 1568 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Citizen Science Helps in Tracking the Range Expansions of Non-Indigenous and Neo-Native Species in Greece and Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean Sea)

by Joachim Langeneck, Vasileios Minasidis, Nikolaos Doumpas, Ioannis Giovos, Alexandros Kaminas, Periklis Kleitou, Francesco Tiralongo and Fabio Crocetta

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(2), 256; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jmse10020256 - 14 Feb 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3673

Abstract

Raising knowledge of the dispersal of non-indigenous species (NIS) in new geographic areas is a matter of major concern, as alien species may outcompete the native biota through competition, predation, and hybridization. In the Mediterranean Sea, where biological invasions constitute a serious threat, [...] Read more.

Raising knowledge of the dispersal of non-indigenous species (NIS) in new geographic areas is a matter of major concern, as alien species may outcompete the native biota through competition, predation, and hybridization. In the Mediterranean Sea, where biological invasions constitute a serious threat, the combined use of citizen science and social networks amplified the results obtained via traditional research activities, often recording species that would otherwise presumably have passed unnoticed. We hereby report unpublished data for five NIS (the annelid Branchiomma luctuosum, the shrimp Saron marmoratus and the fishes Lutjanus argentimaculatus, Oxyurichthys petersii, and specimens of the group of Abudefduf saxatilis/vaigiensis/troschelii) and one neo-native species (Seriola fasciata) in Greece and Cyprus (eastern Mediterranean Sea), the majority of which were obtained via a focused citizen-science project and constitute new records at a country level. We also revise and update their known distribution in the invaded area, thus contributing to the study of large-scale and well-defined distributional patterns of alien species spreading in the Mediterranean Sea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Bio-Invasions)

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14 pages, 2778 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Northward Spread of the Parrotfish Sparisoma cretense (Teleostei: Scaridae) in the Mediterranean Sea: An Update on Current Distribution with Two New Records from Sardinia

by Giuseppe Esposito, Marino Prearo, Vasco Menconi, Davide Mugetti, Domenico Meloni, Mattia Tomasoni, Elisabetta Pizzul, Pierluigi Piras, Monia Renzi, Dario Gaspa and Paolo Pastorino

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(5), 536; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jmse9050536 - 17 May 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3545

Abstract

The parrotfish Sparisoma cretense, a marine species native to the eastern and southern coastal areas of the Mediterranean, has extended its distribution northward. Here, we provide an update on its distribution based on currently published data and two new records from the [...] Read more.

The parrotfish Sparisoma cretense, a marine species native to the eastern and southern coastal areas of the Mediterranean, has extended its distribution northward. Here, we provide an update on its distribution based on currently published data and two new records from the coastline of Sardinia, Italy (central-western Mediterranean). The survey methods were scuba diving and spearfishing: one specimen of S. cretense was caught along the Argentiera coastline (northwest Mediterranean) and the others were photographed in the Gulf of Orosei, Osalla Bay (central-eastern Mediterranean). A literature update, together with new records, documents the distribution of this species in the northernmost areas of the Mediterranean. Probably a result of global warming, the ongoing northward expansion of S. cretense highlights the need for sampling campaigns to obtain timely updates on population and distribution of this thermophilic species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Bio-Invasions)

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16 pages, 2919 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Case of Lionfish (Pterois miles) in the Mediterranean Sea Demonstrates Limitations in EU Legislation to Address Marine Biological Invasions

by Periklis Kleitou, Jason M. Hall-Spencer, Ioannis Savva, Demetris Kletou, Margarita Hadjistylli, Ernesto Azzurro, Stelios Katsanevakis, Charalampos Antoniou, Louis Hadjioannou, Niki Chartosia, Maria Christou, Yiannis Christodoulides, Ioannis Giovos, Carlos Jimenez, Sonia Smeraldo and Siân E. Rees

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(3), 325; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jmse9030325 - 15 Mar 2021

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 9736

Abstract

The European Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species entered into force in 2015, with the aim to fulfill regional and international biodiversity goals in a concerted manner. To date, the Regulation listed 66 Invasive Alien Species (IAS) that are subject to legal [...] Read more.

The European Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species entered into force in 2015, with the aim to fulfill regional and international biodiversity goals in a concerted manner. To date, the Regulation listed 66 Invasive Alien Species (IAS) that are subject to legal controls. Only one of these is marine. A recent lionfish (Pterois miles) invasion has been closely monitored in the Mediterranean and a detailed risk assessment was made about the profound impacts that this invasive fish is likely to have on the fisheries and biodiversity of the region. In 2016–21, lionfish rapidly became dominant predators along Eastern Mediterranean coasts, yet the process for their inclusion on the EU IAS list has been lengthy and is ongoing. There is an urgent need to learn from this experience. Here, we recommend improvements to the Regulation 1143/2014 and the risk assessment process to protect marine ecosystems and secure the jobs of people that rely on coastal resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Bio-Invasions)

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10 pages, 1154 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transition in Population Dynamics of the Intertidal Barnacle Balanus glandula after Invasion: Causes and Consequences of Change in Larval Supply

by Takashi Noda and Masashi Ohira

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2020, 8(11), 915; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jmse8110915 - 14 Nov 2020

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1855

Abstract

To elucidate how the population dynamics of the acorn barnacle Balanus glandula transitioned after its invasion in 2000 along the Pacific coast of Japan, a population census was conducted from 2004 to 2014 at five shores along 49 km of coastline 144–193 km [...] Read more.

To elucidate how the population dynamics of the acorn barnacle Balanus glandula transitioned after its invasion in 2000 along the Pacific coast of Japan, a population census was conducted from 2004 to 2014 at five shores along 49 km of coastline 144–193 km east outside of the invasion front. Survey areas at each shore consisted of five paired plots (cleared recruitment plots and control plots). Larval recruitment was first detected in 2004 but benthic individuals were not detected until 2 years later. The abundance and occurrence of B. glandula increased until around 2010; abundance then decreased but occurrence remained high (70%) until 2014, suggesting that the metapopulation of this barnacle approached a maximum around 2011. From 2011, the population dynamics of B. glandula changed considerably at two contrasting spatial scales: at a regional scale, the dependency of the number of larvae on stock size decreased, whereas at a local scale, the relative contribution of larval supply as a determinant of local population dynamics decreased. These findings suggest that the major driving force of population dynamics of the introduced barnacle changed in just a few years after invasion; therefore, population census data from just after an invasion, including larval recruitment monitoring just outside the invasion front, is essential to understanding invasion dynamics by sessile marine organisms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Bio-Invasions)

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17 pages, 1182 KiB

Open AccessProject Report

Protecting Biodiversity from Invasive Alien Species by Improving Policy Instruments in Greece: The INVALIS Project Action Plan

by Orfeas Roussos, Christina Kapetanopoulou and Dimitra Petza

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(11), 1205; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jmse9111205 - 01 Nov 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2636

Abstract

The Protecting European Biodiversity from Invasive Alien Species (INVALIS) project objective is to improve policies for protecting biodiversity from invasive alien species (IAS), by bringing together seven partners from seven countries and supporting policy measures for prevention, early detection, and control of IAS [...] Read more.

The Protecting European Biodiversity from Invasive Alien Species (INVALIS) project objective is to improve policies for protecting biodiversity from invasive alien species (IAS), by bringing together seven partners from seven countries and supporting policy measures for prevention, early detection, and control of IAS in their respective territories. The project is funded by the Interreg Europe program. The learning process of the INVALIS project consisted of various experience-exchanging activities among the project partners (interregional workshops, site visits, etc.), as well as among stakeholders at a regional level. This exchange of experiences led to the drafting of regional Action Plans by each partner. The INVALIS Action Plan of Greece is based on an analysis of the current situation of IAS management in Greece, and the transfer of good practices and conclusions derived from the exchange of experiences. Gaps in IAS management were identified mainly in the areas of raising public awareness of IAS and networking among IAS stakeholders. As a result, three actions were proposed to address these deficits: initiating a project on education and raising awareness about IAS, creating a web portal on these species, and establishing an IAS management working group. These actions will contribute towards improving specific policy instruments in Greece. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Bio-Invasions)

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5 pages, 661 KiB

Open AccessInteresting Images

Protect the Natives to Combat the Aliens: Could Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 Be a Natural Agent for the Control of the Lionfish Invasion in the Mediterranean Sea?

by Fabio Crocetta, Maria Shokouros-Oskarsson, Nikolaos Doumpas, Ioannis Giovos, Stefanos Kalogirou, Joachim Langeneck, Valentina Tanduo, Francesco Tiralongo, Riccardo Virgili and Periklis Kleitou

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(3), 308; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jmse9030308 - 11 Mar 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5501

Abstract

Biological invasions constitute a major threat to native ecosystems and to global biodiversity [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Bio-Invasions)

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